Joel Fry Joins Sarah Snook in Jane Austen Adaptation ‘Persuasion’ (Exclusive)
British actor Joel Fry, who appeared in Danny Boyle’s Yesterday, has joined Succession‘s Sarah Snook to star in Persuasion, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s final novel that Mahalia Belo is directing for Searchlight.
Persuasion, a romance of second chances, tells the story of Anne Elliot who, many years after refusing the proposal of young naval officer Frederick Wentworth, finds herself navigating the waters of English society when Wentworth returns from war a wealthy and decorated captain. As Anne ponders missed opportunities, she must consider her own regrets and unwavering, possibly unrequited love.
Fry will play Wentworth opposite Snook’s Elliot.
Jessica Swale, writer-director of the Gemma Arterton-starring war drama Summerland, wrote the adaptation of the book that was first published in 1818.
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Alison Owen and Debra Hayward, whose credits range from Suffragette to How to Build a Girl, are producing via their Monumental Pictures banner. BBC Films is co-financing the drama.
Searchlight Pictures U.K.’s head of development and production Katie Goodson-Thomas is overseeing Persuasion with senior development exec Pete Spencer and manager Apolline Berty.
Fry had a memorable two-season arc on HBO’s Game of Thrones in which he played the betrothed to Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke. Last year he appeared in the all-star rom-com Love Wedding Repeat and will next be seen in Cruella, Disney’s origin story of its villain from The 101 Dalmatians that stars Emma Stone.
Fry is repped by Independent Talent Group.