A high-profile cast has been announced for the upcoming ABC TV series The Slap, based on Christos Tsiolkas’ novel, including Golden Globe Award-nominee Melissa George and NCIS star Jonathan LaPaglia.
Oscar-nominated Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, Dirty Pretty Things) will play Aisha, and Tony Award nominee Essie Davis (Australia, Girl With A Pearl Earring) will play the role of Anouk.
Head of Fiction at ABC TV, Carole Sklan, told Neos Kosmos that the rest of the cast, which will be announced next week, includes several other Greek Australian actors.
She said it was important for the ABC to tell stories about a multicultural Australia.
“ABC policy to reflect multicultural Australia is very important to us because this is simply the reality of contemporary Australia,” she said.
“We are a culturally diverse society. As a public broadcaster, it’s vital that the ABC is inclusive and realistic in its portrayal of our world and our lives.”
Neos Kosmos reported last month that Mullinars Casting Consultants were looking for Greek-speakers to fill the roles of Manolis and Koula.
In a statement released through the ABC, Tsiolkas said he felt “very fortunate” to be working with the creative team.
“Everyone involved is keen to keep true to the honesty and rawness of the book while at the same time making sure that what is created works as riveting and unexpected drama,” he said.
“That passion is exhilarating.”
The writing team includes AFI Award winners Kris Mrksa (Underbelly 2 & 3) and Cate Shortland (Somersault), novelist Emily Ballou, Alice Bell, whose film Suburban Mayhen premiered at Cannes in 2006, and Love My Way writer Brendan Cowell.
Four AFI Award-winning directors will each direct two episodes.
Tsiolkas’ other award winning novel, Dead Europe will also be made into a feature film ready for distribution in 2012.
The Slap will be an eight-part series, in which each episode is told from the perspective of a different character, will begin shooting in Melbourne on January 19.