Ripley: Dakota Fanning is helping Andrew Scott adapt Showtime’s series
Dakota Fanning (The alienist, Once upon a time … in Hollywood) has joined Showtime’s Ripley to Golden Globe nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag, Sherlock), who, according to TVLine, will play the title role as Tom Ripley in the series adaptation. The drama series is based on Patricia Highsmith’s five novels that follow the character of Tom Ripley: The talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley’s game, The boy who followed Ripley, and Ripley underwater.
Fanning will play Marge Sherwood, an Italian-based American who suspects Tom’s friendliness hides darker motives. Johnny Flynn (Emma., Stardust) was also cast as Dickie Greenleaf.
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Ripley Next up is Tom Ripley, a Grifter who stopped by New York in the early 1960s. When Tom is hired by a wealthy businessman to travel to Italy and convince the man’s vagabond son to return home, accepting the job is “the first step into a complex life of deception.”
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“Dakota Fanning is the perfect choice to play the deliciously intricate margin against Andrew Scott’s Tom Ripley.” said Amy Israel, Showtime’s executive vice president of scripting. “She’s an actress who adds intelligence and vulnerability to every part, with so much bubbling beneath the surface. We can’t wait to see her sink her teeth into that role in Steve Zaillian’s Ripley. “
The series is by Oscar winner Steven Zaillian (The Night of the Irish, Gangs of New York). Zaillian will use Highsmith’s five novels “as a roadmap to show Ripley’s progress from cheater to serial killer.”
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Ripley is co-produced by Showtime and Endemol Shine North America in association with Entertainment 360 and Filmrights. Scott will produce the project. Zaillian, Garret Basch, Guymon Casady, Ben Forkner, Sharon Levy, Philip Keep and Charlie Corwin will serve as executive producers. Production of the series is expected to begin in Italy this year.
In 1999 Highsmith’s The talented Mr. Ripley was adapted into a film with Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, alongside Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood and Jude Law as Dickie Greenleaf. The Oscar-nominated feature was written and directed by Anthony Minghella.
(Photo by Leon Bennett / Getty Images)
