Emmy Award-winning casting directors Nina Gold (Game of Thrones) and Carmen Cuba (Stranger Things) bring together the next generation of stars with an exciting international line-up of new and emerging talent
John Leguizamo, Toheeb Jimoh, Ria Zmitrowicz, Halle Bush, Heather Agyepong, Nico Hiraga and Daniela Vega are amongst the ensemble cast, joining the previously announced Leslie Mann and Auli’i Cravalho, in a multinational cast for the 10-part global series produced by Sister.
LONDON, UK –14th January 2020 – Amazon Studios has today announced further casting for The Power, an urgent 10-part global thriller based on the international bestselling novel of the same name, produced by Sister (Chernobyl, Giri/Haji, The Split) for Amazon Studios with Emmy Award-winning executive producer and director Reed Morano (The Handmaid’s Tale). The Power is adapted for screen by writer, creator and executive producer Naomi Alderman, who is working alongside an all-female writers’ room, with every episode also to be directed by women.
The international ensemble has been brought together by the award-winning casting directors Nina Gold and Carmen Cuba, who have been responsible for casting some of the world’s biggest series, including Game of Thrones and Stranger Things.
The world of The Power is our world, but for one twist of nature. Suddenly, and without warning, all teenage girls in the world develop the power to electrocute people at will. It’s hereditary, it’s inbuilt, and it can’t be taken away from them. Coming alive to the thrill of pure power: the ability to hurt or even kill by releasing electrical jolts from their fingertips, they rapidly learn they can awaken the Power in older women. Soon enough nearly every woman in the world can do it. And then everything is different.
Auli’i Cravalho (Moana, The Little Mermaid Live, Rise) plays Jos Cleary-Lopez, daughter of Margot Cleary-Lopez (Leslie Mann). She’s curious, judicious and observant like her mother, but the two find themselves at odds. At first she is fearful of her Power, thinking there is something very wrong with her. But this fear soon gives way to dismay when she finds herself unable to control her Power in the same way everyone else seems able to.
John Leguizamo (When They See Us, John Wick, Romeo + Juliet) plays Rob, Margot’s partner, a wonderful and supportive father, but he is struggling as a husband. He’s always been a point of stability and support to his wife and kids, quick to make them laugh, but recently his marriage has cooled. But when the seismic changes caused by The Power impacts the unity of the family he loves, Rob is fearful for their safety but surprised by its effect on his wife and marriage.
Toheeb Jimoh (French Dispatch, The Feed, Ted Lasso) plays Tunde, a young and charming Nigerian with big dreams. An aspiring video journalist, Tunde finds himself catapulted into the international spotlight when his video capturing the effects of the Power is posted to his YouTube channel and goes viral. Suddenly the world takes notice of the change that’s happening, and Tunde determines to investigate the phenomenon, reporting from the heart of events as they spread across the globe.
Ria Zmitrowicz (Three Girls, Mr Selfridge) plays Roxy Monke, illegitimate teenage daughter of feared London crime boss Bernie Monke. Her dad loves her, but won’t let her join the family business, no matter how many times she asks. Frustrated by her lowly position in the predominately male family hierarchy, Roxy is determined to prove that she is far more capable than her brother. When she gets her Power, and as she slowly realises its new unbridled strength, she takes matters into her own hands sparking a chain of events which spiral quickly out of control.
Newcomer Halle Bush plays Allie. Given up by her birth parents early in her life, she’s been moved from home to group home to failed adoption to yet more fostering, never spending more than a year in one place. She’s only ever had herself to rely on, especially in her current abusive foster home. So when her Power awakens she takes the first opportunity to escape, embarking on a journey across the US which leads to revelation and transformation.
Also joining the cast are; Nico Hiraga (Booksmart, Ballers, Moxie, North Hollywood) as Ryan, who provides comfort to Jos when she feels most isolated; Heather Agyepong (Noughts and Crosses, Girls – both for theatre) as Ndudi, Tunde’s close friend whose own first-hand experience of the Power on the Day of the Girls serves as catalyst for their investigations into the phenomenon; and Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman, Tales of the City) as Sister Maria, a support to Allie when she needs it most.
Over the first season, the series will follow its cast of remarkable characters from London to Seattle, Nigeria to Moldova, as the Power evolves from a tingle in teenagers’ collarbones to a complete reversal of the power balance of the world. The Day of the Girls has arrived – but where will it end?
Ugla Hauskdóttir (Hanna, Ófærð) joins production as director for two episodes, alongside Shannon Murphy (Killing Eve, Babyteeth) who also joins as director for two episodes.
The Power is produced by Sister and executive produced by Jane Featherstone (Chernobyl, Giri/Haji, The Split), Naomi de Pear (Don’t Forget the Driver, The Bisexual, Flowers), Naomi Alderman, Reed Morano (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Claire Wilson (Rocks, Little Drummer Girl, Gangs of London). The series is produced by Tim Bricknell (Trust, Taboo) and is the latest UK produced Amazon Original series.
The series goes into production in February 2020.
Prime members will be able to stream The Power exclusively via the Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online. Members can also download the series to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership. The series will be a global release and available on PrimeVideo.com for Prime Video members in more than 200 countries and territories.
Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Prime Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
About Naomi Alderman (Creator and Executive Producer)
Naomi Alderman was educated at Oxford University and UEA. The Power is her fifth novel. She has won numerous awards including the Orange Award for New Writers, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year, the Prix Rèpublique and the FutureBook Innovation Award. Her first novel Disobedience was recently adapted into a feature-length film by Oscar-winning director Sebastián Lelio, starring Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams. The Power was listed for the Orwell Prize for Political Writing and won the Baileys Prize for Fiction in 2017.
Naomi has worked as a games writer and narrative designer for over a decade. She was the lead writer on the award-winning alternate reality game Perplex City and is the lead writer of the smartphone app and podcast The Walk. In 2012 she co-created the top-selling fitness game and audio adventure Zombies, Run! which has been downloaded millions of times and remains a market-leader.
Naomi presents Science Stories – a programme about the history of science on BBC Radio 4 and is a member of the XPRIZE Sci-Fi Advisory Council. She is Professor of Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, has been mentored by Margaret Atwood as part of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, and in 2013 was named one of Granta’s Best British Novelists in their once-a-decade list.
About Reed Morano (Director and Executive Producer)
Reed Morano recently made history with her pilot of THE HANDMAID’S TALE as the first woman ever to win both the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Dramatic Series and the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama for the same body of work. She was the first woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series category in 22 years.
As well as her pilot of THE HANDMAID’S TALE receiving a total of 13 Emmy nominations and 8 wins, including Outstanding Drama Series, in the same year, Reed was also nominated for an Emmy for her cinematography on the pilot of DIVORCE for HBO.
Reed’s feature films, I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW, and MEADOWLAND, have also won the Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, the prestigious Dolby Atmos grant, an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Cinematography and also landed her on Indiewire’s 20 Best Breakthrough Directors of 2015. THE RHYTHM SECTION, starring Blake Lively and Jude Law is due for release in January of 2020.
About Jane Featherstone (Executive Producer and Co-Founder of Sister)
As the former chief executive of Kudos and co-chairman of Shine UK, Jane oversaw the production of some of the UK’s most ground-breaking and best-loved dramas. From BAFTA-winning television series Broadchurch, Humans, Life on Mars and Flowers, through to Hustle, Spooks, The Hour and River, Featherstone’s pioneering vision brought quality drama to the mainstream whilst growing Kudos into one of the UK’s most recognisable and formidable indies.
Departing Kudos in 2014, Jane then founded Sister Pictures (in which Elisabeth Murdoch became a minority shareholder) in November 2015 as an independent television production company specialising in authored, bold and distinctive stories for UK and international audiences. The indie, has in four years, grown to be one of the leading, international drama producers. In September 30th 2019 Featherstone joined forces with Elisabeth Murdoch, and Stacey Snider to form Sister, a global production and development company.
The recent world-wide phenomenon, winner of 10 Emmy Awards including Outstanding Limited Series, and two Golden Globes includingBest Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television Chernobyl (HBO/ Sky Atlantic) adds to the critical and audience acclaim the company has achieved for its work, which includes The Split (BBC One/ Sundance AMC) Cleaning Up (ITV), Flowers S2 (Channel 4) andDon’t Forget the Driver (BBC Two).
With Giri/ Haji for BBC Two/ Netflix having completed its critically acclaimed run on BBC Two forthcoming titles include, series two of Emmy Award winning writer Abi Morgan’s The Split (BBC One/ Sundance AMC) the adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s literary phenomenonThe Power for Amazon, and Adam Kay’s adaptation of his international best-seller This Is Going To Hurt for the BBC.
About Naomi de Pear (Executive Producer)
Naomi is an Executive Producer within Sister. Since its formation, she has made BAFTA-nominated Flowers by Will Sharpe and Desiree Akhavan’s The Bisexual for C4 and Hulu, and Venice TV Award Winning Don’t Forget The Driver, for BBC2, all through her own label Hootenanny within the company. Current projects include Don’t Forget the Driver S2, This is Going to Hurt, based on Adam Kay’s hit book and. She’s previously worked on Spooks, Humans, Tin Star, Abi Morgan’s Emmy- winning The Hour and as Associate Producer of River.
About Timothy Bricknell (Producer)
Tim is an award-winning producer who has produced both feature films and television including the Peabody Award-winning HBO/BBC series The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and the BAFTA-winning Taboo, Eric & Ernie and The Fear, as well as From There To Here, Churchill’s Secret and, most recently, Trust for FX.
About Sister
Sister, formed on September 30th 2019 by Liz Murdoch, Stacey Snider and Jane Featherstone is a global production and development company. The storytelling triumvirate share a mutual ambition to build a modern, international company that champions exceptional, visionary talent. Sister will harness its co-founders’ collective expertise in film and television, their track records and a shared commitment to creating break out narrative content for multiple platforms.
Forthcoming titles include, series two of Emmy Award winning writer Abi Morgan’s The Split (BBC One/ Sundance AMC) Giri/Haji for BBC Two/ Netflix and Adam Kay’s adaptation of his international best-seller This Is Going To Hurt for the BBC.
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