CASTING has been announced for Netflix’s epic new historical drama House of Guinness.
The upcoming series will see Happy Valley star James Norton team up with Game of Thrones alum Jack Gleeson.
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Netflix is planning to shed some light on one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties; the Guinness family.
Set in the 19th-century, the House of Guinness will span continents as it follows events in Dublin and New York.
The series will focus on the consequences of the death of Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery and the drink they brew.
But drama will unfold as his cunning will impacts the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Benjamin. It will also affect a group of Dublin characters who work and interact with the growing juggernaut that is Guinness.
James, who is best known for playing Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, and Game of Thrones’ Joffrey Baratheon actor Jack, are the two most recent cast additions to the series.
They are joining Anthony Boyle (Tetris, Derry Girls), Louis Partridge (Pistol, Enola Holmes), Emily Fairn (The Responder, Black Mirror: Demon 79), and Fionn O’Shea (Normal People, Dance First), who play the Guinness siblings Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Benjamin.
James’ character has not yet been announced, but Jack will play Byron Hughes.
Also joining the cast is Everything Now star Niamh McCormack, who will appear as Ellen Cochrane.
Seamus O’Hara (Blue Lights, An Irish Goodbye), Dervla Kirwan (True Detective: Night Country, Smother), Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones, The Long Shadow), Danielle Galligan (Shadow and Bone, Obituary), David Wilmot (Station Eleven, Bodkin) and Hilda Fay (The Woman in the Wall, Spilt Milk) round out the centra cast.
House of Guinness was penned by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.
Following the success of the period crime drama, Steven returned to Birmingham with a new series, Our Town, which premiered earlier this year.
His latest series, which will see him team up with streaming giant Netflix, is still in development so a release date has not yet been announced.
The series was announced at London’s Next on Netflix event in March.
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Following the announcement, Anne Mensah, Vice-President of Content at Netflix UK, said in a statement: “We are beyond thrilled to be working with Kudos and the incredible Steven Knight to bring the story of the Guinness Family to Netflix audiences.
“It has all the power of Peaky Blinders but the scale and the sweep of a true family saga. Set in the UK and the US, we cannot wait to see this realised.”
While Steven explained that he has always been fascinated with these historic characters: “The Guinness dynasty is known the world over – wealth, poverty, power, influence, and great tragedy are all intertwined to create a rich tapestry of material to draw from.
“I’ve always been fascinated by their stories and am excited to bring the characters to life for the world to see.”
Executive producer Karen Wilson added: “House of Guinness is full of mystery, intrigue, and drama and we’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing it to Netflix audiences around the globe.
“This epic and fascinating story about one of the greatest dynasties of the world will have audiences captivated, and I can’t think of anyone better to bring it to life than the brilliant Steven Knight.”
Who were the Guinnes family?
The Guinness family are one of the most famous and influential families in Ireland – but how did their legacy start?
- The Guinness Brewery was founded in 1759 by Arthur Guinness, and it has remained in the family ever since.
- After Arthur’s death in 1803, the family business was passed down to his children.
- Arthur and his wife had 21 children, including Arthur Jr, Edward, Anne and Benjamin.
- While the series will reimagine the fallout of Arthur Sr’s death at the beginning of the 19th century. In reality, the family legacy continued without political or public scandal.
- The Guinness factory has now been in operation for over 250 years.
- However, the business has undergone several changes, with no members of the famous family currently serving on the board of the brewery business following the death of socialite Tara Browne who was next in line to inherit the Guinness legacy.