Get set to join the jet set: Sky’s brand-new pan European original drama Riviera confirms full cast, as filming begins on location in the South of France.
A story of morally ambiguous characters, complex relationships and emotionally driven drama, Riviera is based in the opulent world of the ultra-rich and set against the stunning backdrop of the sun-drenched South of France. The 10-part thriller is created by Oscar®-winning writer and director Neil Jordan (The Borgias), based on an idea by Paul McGuinness and co-written by Booker Prize-winning author John Banville (The Sea).
With Julia Stiles (The Bourne Series) as Georgina, a Midwestern US girl turned smart, resourceful wife of the billionaire Constantine Clios, the series will also star Adrian Lester (Undercover, London Spy) as Georgina’s friend and art dealer Robert Carver; Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones) and Dimitri Leonidas (The Monuments Men) as Constantine’s sons Adam and Christos; Lena Olin (Vinyl, Chocolat) as Irina, Constantine’s beautiful ex-wife, Roxanne Duran (White Ribbon) as Adriana and Phil Davis as Jukes, the art fraud investigator trying to get to the heart of the truth.
Lena Olin commented: “I am thrilled to be joining the cast of Riviera, alongside Julia Stiles and the amazing cast from around the world and to be working with the amazing collaborative team behind the camera. Irina is a wonderful role that I can’t wait to bring to life and it’s so exciting be part of a series anchored by two strong female characters.”
Adrian Lester added: “I’m very pleased I’ve been given the opportunity to work with such a talented international team on this thriller. Cast and crew are top notch. I can’t wait to get started.”
After just a year of marriage, the immaculate life Georgina has quickly become intoxicated by is blown apart when her art collector husband Constantine is killed in an explosion aboard the yacht of a Russian oligarch and arms dealer.
Believing there to be more to the tragedy, she sets out to uncover what happened. Dark truths about Constantine’s dealings emerge and, as she begins to realise who she was really married to, Georgina enters a spiral of moral descent as she becomes immersed in a world of lies, double-dealing and criminality.
In order to maintain the Clioses’ legendary Côte d’Azur mansion and protect the family and its fortune, she will have to learn to adapt, survive and ultimately thrive in her dangerous new reality. But as she first proved back in her days as a fine-art scholar in the US, she’s an A-plus student…
Riviera is being produced for Sky by Archery Pictures and Primo Productions. Executive producers are Neil Jordan, Liza Marshall (Red Riding Trilogy, Taboo), Kris Thykier (Kick-Ass, Woman in Gold) and former U2 manager Paul McGuinness. The series will be produced by Foz Allan, with award winning Philipp Kadelbach as lead Director (Generation War, SSGB) and BAFTA award winning Laurie Rose as Director of Photography. The series was commissioned by Sky’s head of drama Anne Mensah, commissioning editor Cameron Roach and director of Sky Atlantic Zai Bennett. Worldwide distribution is being handled by Sky Vision (Sky international division).
Riviera will be available for Sky’s 21 million customers across five countries to enjoy, showing exclusively on Sky Atlantic in the UK, Ireland and Italy in 2017 as well as on the Sky platform in Germany and Austria.
It joins a host of original drama series already on air or set to air over the next couple of years on Sky Atlantic and Sky 1, including The Young Pope, Hooten & The Lady, Guerrilla, Tin Star, Delicious, Jamestown, Britannia and The Last Dragonslayer, as well as returning series including Fortitude, Gomorrah and Agatha Raisin.
It also follows a successful year for Sky original drama, with BAFTA nominations for The Last Panthers and The Enfield Haunting and record-breaking audiences for Stan Lee’s Lucky Man on Sky 1. (Sky)
Stay tuned as we monitor the renewal status of Riviera Season 2…
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