Sumith Prasad
The CW’s British series ‘Joan,’ starring Sophie Turner, is being filmed in London. Based on a true story, the series follows Joan Hannington, who was regarded as the “Godmother” of the British criminal underworld in the 1980s. The series, originally commissioned by ITVX, explores Joan’s transformation from a housewife and mother to a diamond thief and criminal mastermind. The series is being filmed in the English capital along with ‘House of the Dragon’ season 2, ‘Industry’ season 3, ‘The Diplomat’ season 2, etc.
The filming of the historical series began in May 2023. Herne Bay, a seaside town on the north coast of Kent in South East England, serves as a significant location. The shooting was spotted at Avenue Road and on the beach opposite the Clocktower. Birmingham, a city located in England’s West Midlands region, is another significant filming location. The show was shot opposite Damascena in Jewellery Quarter in the second half of May. Sets were spotted on the corner of Augusta Street and Warstone Lane as well. In June, the shooting of the series occurred in Hay Lane, located in the city of Coventry.
Turner, who is best known for playing Sansa Stark in ‘Game of Thrones,’ plays the protagonist Joan Hannington. “I’m so excited to be bringing Joan Hannington’s fascinating life story to screen in Joan. She is one of the most notorious figures in the criminal underworld of London, earning her the nickname ‘The Godmother.’ A woman who goes between her thriving and daring career as a jewel thief, all whilst trying to get her daughter back from social services, we see a mother in despair swept up in the exhilarating world of crime,” the actress shared in a statement. Her recent credits include Margaret Ratliff in ‘The Staircase,’ Erica in ‘Do Revenge,’ and Jean Grey/Phoenix in ‘Dark Phoenix.’
Frank Dillane, who is best known for portraying Nick Clark in ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ and Tom Riddle in ‘Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince,’ plays Boisie Hannington, a London antique dealer. His recent credits include Luke Garrett in ‘The Essex Serpent,’ Christophe in ‘The Girlfriend Experience,’ Tony Rich in ‘How to Build a Girl,’ Keyes in ‘Viena and the Fantomes,’ etc.
Kirsty J. Curtis (‘Match Not Found’) plays Joan’s older sister Nancy, Gershwyn Eustache Jnr (‘Star Wars: Andor’) portrays Boisie’s old acquaintance Albie, and Laura Aikman (‘The Split’) features as Albie’s wife Val. The rest of the cast includes Nick Blood (‘Safe’), Jack Greenlees (‘Harlots’), Alex Blake (‘The Crown’ and ‘Chernobyl’), Caroline Faber (‘Grantchester’), and Dorothy Atkinson(‘The Gold’).
Anna Symon, who developed ‘The Essex Serpent’ for Apple TV+, created and wrote ‘Joan.’ Symon’s other credits include ‘Deep Water,’ ‘Mrs Wilson,’ ‘Indian Summers,’ etc. Richard Laxton, who directed Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson-starrer ‘Effie Gray,’ is directing the period drama. He is also known for directing the episodes of ‘Mrs Wilson,’ ‘Him & Her,’ ‘Sea of Souls,’ ‘Outlaws,’ etc. The show will premiere in 2024 but an exact release date is yet to be announced.
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