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Add Kate Beckinsale to the long list of feature stars turning to the small screen.
The Aviator alum has been tapped to star in The Widow, an eight-episode thriller for Amazon Studios from ITV.
Written and exec produced by The Missing and Fleabag brothers Harry and Jack Williams, the series follows Georgia Wells (Beckinsale), who has cut herself off from her previous life and is no longer the woman she once was. After seeing her “late” husband on the news, Georgia is pulled back to face the world and will stop at nothing until she gets the truth about her past. This thriller will take Georgia into the depths of the African Congo, where danger and revelation will greet her at every turn.
Eliza Mellor (Poldark) produces; Sam Donovan (Humans, Utopia) and Olly Blackburn (Donkey Punch) will direct the series, which hails from the Williams’ Two Brothers Pictures. The Widow will be distributed by All3Media International and premiere on ITV in the U.K. and on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories. Production will begin this month in South Africa, Wales and Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The Widow extends Amazon’s relationship with Beckinsale, who previously starred in the e-tailer’s Marc Webb feature The Only Living Boy in New York as well as the Whit Stillman comedy Love & Friendship.
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“Kate Beckinsale is a brilliantly talented actress and we’re thrilled she’s joining us on this journey — we couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect for the role,” the Williams brothers said in a joint statement announcing the news Wednesday. “The Widow is our most ambitious and cinematic piece to date and we can’t wait to bring the dark heart of the Congolese jungle to the screen.”
The Widow, commissioned by ITV, is the latest co-production for the company and joins scripted original Vanity Fair, which is due this year and awaiting a premiere date. (ITV also produces Hulu drama Harlots.)
For Beckinsale, The Widow will be her first scripted series regular role. Her feature credits include the Underworld franchise, 2012’s Total Recall and 2004’s Van Helsing. She’s repped by UTA and Hansen Jacobson.
The Williams brothers’ credits include BBC1 and Starz drama The Missing, Sundance TV’s Liar and Cinemax’s Rellik, among others. They’re repped by UTA, Independent Talent Group and Karushi Management.
The Widow joins an Amazon scripted slate that includes female-fronted The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Man in the High Castle, Fleabag, Catastrophe, Carnival Row, Jack Ryan and Sneaky Pete, among others.
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