According to The Hollywood Reporter, Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones, the Hunger Games franchise) has just been cast as the lead role for the upcoming South African crime thriller series from M-Net, Quizzical Pictures, and Fremantle, entitled, White Lies. Dormer is purportedly currently in Cape Town for the production of White Lies, which is expected to begin shooting as early as March 6.
Dormer is accompanied by award-winning South African actor Brendon Daniels (Four Corners, Desert Rose) who also starred in Trackers, another international collaboration from M-Net. White Lies is created by Sean Steinberg (High Rollers, The Girl from St. Agnes) and written by Darrel Bristow-Bovey (A Sunday Affair, The Lab) with John Trengrove (Manodrome, The Wound) serving as director.
As written by The Hollywood Reporter, White Lies is described as an “urgent exploration of race and privilege, inequality and identity.” The series is set in the affluent community of Bishopscourt, Cape Town, and follows the story of investigative journalist Edie Hansen (Dormer) as she becomes entangled in the shady underbelly that lies just beneath the seemingly perfect neighborhood. After the violent murder of her estranged brother in his luxury home, Hansen is thrust into a world of chaos and debauchery when her teenage niece and nephew are accused of committing the grizzly homicide. With her back against the wall, Hansen is forced to team up with veteran detective Forty Bell (Daniels) who struggles to maintain order as the secretive world of extreme Cape Town wealth threatens to destroy everything he holds dear.
The cast for White Lies also includes the acting talents of stars such as Langley Kirkwood (Warrior, Inconceivable), Jane de Wet (Trackers, Still Breathing), Katlego Lebogang (Wounds), and Robert Hobbs (District 9, Isibaya).
In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Dormer stated, “I’m thrilled to be in Cape Town and begin this beautiful, gripping show. South Africa has so much to offer an international audience in its storytelling. I’m truly excited to bring Darrel’s eight episode page-turner to life with such a group of talented directors, led by John, and a superb ensemble cast.”