Natalie Dormer Boards Aussie Event Drama Picnic at Hanging Rock

LONDON: Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) has signed on to star in the event drama Picnic at Hanging Rock, produced by FremantleMedia Australia.

Dormer will star as English headmistress Mrs. Hester Appleyard in the reimagining of Joan Lindsay’s Australian novel. Picnic at Hanging Rock follows the mysterious disappearances of three schoolgirls and one teacher on Valentine’s Day 1900. The six-part drama is being produced for Foxtel.

FremantleMedia International is distributing the series worldwide. The drama has received production investment from Screen Australia and Film Victoria.

Foxtel’s head of drama, Penny Win, said: “The accomplished cast who have been secured for Picnic at Hanging Rock will give new forms to Joan Lindsay’s iconic characters as the actors take up the scripts our writers, Bea Christian and Alice Addison, have drawn from the provocative spirit of the original mystery.

“Though the story remains in 1900, Picnic at Hanging Rock will be 21st-century storytelling for the premium Foxtel drama audience.”

FremantleMedia Australia’s director of drama, Jo Porter, said: “Picnic at Hanging Rock is celebrated as an iconic, female-led story and we are thrilled to be announcing our strong and diverse cast who will bring the characters to life in the most vivid manner.

“We have an exceptional mix and depth of established names and exciting young Australian talent who will redefine these characters for a new generation. The strength of the scripts, the appeal of the story and our directors’ vision has drawn an incredible caliber of actors to the project, including Natalie Dormer. Natalie is known for her bold choices in playing powerful, smart and fearless women. Her rendering of Mrs. Appleyard is sure to be just as intriguing and complex.

“Hot off her listing in Interview magazine’s Hollywood’s Most Wanted, we look forward to audiences seeing French actor Lola Bessis join us to play Mademoiselle de Poitiers.”