Hulu has ordered Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People to series, according to Entertainment Weekly. The novel will be adapted to a 12-episode series by Sally Rooney together with writers Mark O’Rowe and Alice Birch. Lenny Abrahamson (Room) will direct the first six episodes, while Hettie McDonald (Doctor Who) will direct the remaining six.
“As a longtime admirer of Lenny Abrahamson’s work, it’s a special privilege for me to be working alongside him on the adaptation of Normal People. I couldn’t be happier with the cast and team we’ve put together, and I’m very excited to watch them bringing new life to the story on screen,” said Sally Rooney.
The series is set in Ireland and follows the “tender but complicated” love story of Marianne, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones (War of the Worlds), and Connell (Paul Mescal) from the end of their school days in small town in Ireland to their undergraduate years at Dublin’s Trinity College. Connell is a popular football player, while Marianne, who is from a wealthy family, is proud and lonely. The author of the novel is thrilled to be working with the two actors. “I’m still fond of these characters, and that’s a good thing because I’m having to spend a lot of time with them again!” Rooney told Entertainment Weekly.
Director Abrahamson also commented on the project: “I had decided after Room and The Little Stranger that it was time to step away from literary adaptations. But when this came along, I just loved it so much I couldn’t say no. I really couldn’t get it out of my head. It’s hard to say how she achieves this sense of depth and insight that she does.”
“From the moment we read ‘Normal People’ we were smitten. This anatomy of a will-they-or-won’t-they romance perfectly and uniquely captures the highs and lows of young true love. With our incredible partners Lenny, Sally, Alice, Mark, Element and the BBC Three we can’t wait to bring the beloved novel to life and share the series with the world,” said VP of content development at Hulu Beatrice Springborn.
The show is produced by Element Pictures in collaboration with Hulu for BBC Three. Rooney and Abrahamson will also serve as executive producers. The other executive producers include Ed Guiney, Emma Norton, Anna Ferguson, and Andrew Lowe. Catherine Magee will serve as the series producer.
The series begins shooting next week and will air in 2020. Endeavor Content will distribute it globally.