Production Begins on My Brilliant Career Adaptation

Jungle Entertainment has begun production on an adaptation of Miles Franklin’s classic Australian novel My Brilliant Career for Netflix.

First published in 1901, My Brilliant Career centers on a headstrong girl who is forced to work as a governess when her father’s drinking puts her family in debt, which she finds unbearable. She returns home and turns down the marriage proposal of a wealthy man, determined never to marry.

The book resonated wit ha generation of young Australian women who longed for the freedom to shape their own destinies.

The cast of the Netflix adaptation features Philippa Northeast (Territory, The Newsreader), Christopher Chung (Slow Horses, Blitz), Anna Chancellor (My Lady Jane, Outrageous), Genevieve O’Reilly (Andor, The Dry), Kate Mulvany (Hunters, Elvis), Jake Dunn (What It Feels Like For a Girl, The Ballad of Renegade Nell), Alexander England (Black Snow, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), Sherry-Lee Watson (Thou Shalt Not Steal, Heartbreak High) and Miah Madden (Paper Dolls, The Clearing).

The creative team includes Liz Doran (Barons, Please Like Me) as writer; Alyssa McClelland (Amandaland, Sex Education) as set-up director for episodes one through three; Anne Renton (The Good Doctor, Good Cop/Bad Cop) as director for episodes four through six; Paul Ranford (Territory, Stateless) as producer; and Sarinah Masukor (Population 11, Good Cop/Bad Cop) and Rachael Turk (Sunshine, The Principal) as writers.

Executive producers include Jungle’s Chloe Rickard (Good Cop/ Bad Cop, Population 11), Doran and McClelland. Courtney Wise (On The Ropes, Dance Academy) is a co-executive producer and Shari Sebbens (Top End Bub) is an associate producer.

“It’s been a privilege to work with so many incredible creatives on this reimagining of Miles Franklin’s rollicking tale of a young woman’s quest to determine her own life,” Doran said.

“It’s thrilling to bring this Australian classic to a whole new audience,” Rickard commented. “Partnering with Netflix and fellow executive producers Liz Doran and Alyssa McClelland, with Philippa Northeast as our rebellious and witty Sybylla, has been the stuff that dreams are made of.”

Minyoung Kim, VP of content in AsiaPac, excluding India, for Netflix, said, “My Brilliant Career is a timeless Australian story with themes as relevant today as when it was originally published. We’re excited to be partnering with some of Australia’s best creatives and talent to bring this story to a whole new generation on Netflix, and with its stunning locations, there’s no better home for this production than South Australia.”

“We are delighted to welcome Netflix back to South Australia and Adelaide Studios along with award-winning production company Jungle Entertainment for the new series adaptation of My Brilliant Career,” added Kate Croser, CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC). “The SAFC is proud to support this exciting new series, which will harness the world-class skills of a majority South Australian crew, led by top South Australian producer Paul Ranford, and which will once again provide a showcase for our state’s screen production capability, talent and endlessly beautiful locations.”