David E. Kelley’s latest marital drama puts infidelity and consent on trial.
“Anatomy of a Scandal” stars Sienna Miller as a wife coming to terms with her husband’s cheating. Yet her elite spouse (Rupert Friend) is subsequently accused of assault, putting his position of power as a Minister in Parliament into a tailspin. Meanwhile, Barrister Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery) has her own motivations for prosecuting the case.
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As one character puts it in the trailer, “Privilege does not extend to rape.”
The psychological thriller, which premieres April 15, is based on Sarah Vaughan’s bestselling novel of the same name. “The Undoing” creator David E. Kelley executive produces, along with Melissa James Gibson and director S.J. Clarkson.
The ensemble cast includes Naomi Scott, Josette Simon, Geoffrey Streatfeild, Joshua McGuire, Liz White, Nancy Farino, Hannah Dodd, Ben Radcliffe, Jake Simmance, Annie Haworth, Amelie Bea-Smith, and Sebastian Selwood.
“Anatomy of a Scandal” is slated to be an anthology series centered on a new, ripped-from-the-headlines case each season, set in British high society.
Star Miller told Vanity Fair in 2020 that the series felt like an “important and timely story to explore,” asking, “What is rape? How are women complicit in the unfolding of their lives? And how well can anyone know anyone else?”
Miller added, “It’s deep and raw, and is being created by an amazing team of producers and writers, and I’m a huge fan of our director S.J. Clarkson.”
Clarkson previously helmed “Jessica Jones” for Netflix, as well as Marvel’s “The Defenders” series, both of which have since moved to Disney+, along with “Daredevil,” “Luke Cage,” “The Punisher,” and “The Iron Fist,” plus ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
Kelley, whose producing credits include “Big Little Lies” and “Nine Perfect Strangers,” is set to also helm an upcoming HBO Max true-crime series. Kelley penned “Love and Death,” based on the Texas Monthly article chronicling the gruesome murder of Betty Gore. Elizabeth Olsen is set to play the murderous Candy Montgomery, with Lily Rabe as Betty. “Jessica Jones” star Krysten Ritter and Jesse Plemons round out the cast.
“Anatomy of a Scandal” premieres April 15 on Netflix.
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