JK Rowling’s ‘The Casual Vacancy’ Announces Cast; Michael Gambon And Keeley Hawes Lead Celebs List In HBO And BBC One Mini-series
JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" adaptation has been confirmed as HBO and BBC One announced the cast for the mini-series to be led by Michael Gambon and Keeley Hawes.
According to Variety, BBC One will produce the mini-series in conjunction with HBO, and other stars include Monica Dolan, Rory Kinnear, Julia McKenzie, Abigail Lawrie, Simon McBurney, Colin Wall, Richard Glover and Marie Critchley.
The TV adaptation is produced by JK Rowling's Bronte Film and Television, and Rick Senat. Sarah Phelps ("The Crimson Field") was commissioned to write the screenplay.
The mini-series is an adaptation of JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" which skyrocketed to the bestsellers list in 2012 after selling more than six million copies worldwide. The adaptation will be separated into three parts, Variety noted, with filming slated to begin on July 7 in Southwest England.
According to UK's Independent, Michael Gambon will play Howard Mollison, the Pagford delicatessen owner, while Keeley Hawes will play his daughter-in-law Samantha Mollison.
The publication said that JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" won't be a first time for Michael Gambon to play a role in the Harry Potter's author's work. He replaced Richard Harris after his death for the role of Albus Dumbledore in the hit movie series.
JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" is billed as the first adult novel of the best-selling author following the "Harry Potter" series.
The story is about the English village of Pagford in West Country and the events that unfolded after the death of a local councilor. Variety summarized the plot: "Behind the quaint façade is a town at war: rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, and teachers at war with their pupils."
After JK Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy," the "Harry Potter" author wrote two more books, under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, titled "The Cuckoo's Calling" and "Silkworm" under the detective fiction genre.
