Rising star Jessica De Gouw cast along side Jonathan Rhys Meyers in NBC and Sky Living HD’s ‘Dracula’
London, January 21st 2013 – Sky Living and NBC today announce that Jessica De Gouw (star of Sky 1’s “Arrow”) has been cast in the lead female role of Mina in the new ten part series coming to Sky Living HD later this year. A co-production with NBCUniversal, “Dracula,” is a provocative new drama series version of the classic Bram Stoker novel starring Golden Globe winner Jonathan Rhys Meyers (“The Tudors,” “Elvis") in the title role
"Dracula" is from the producers behind the critically acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning hit "Downton Abbey," Carnival Films & Television, along with NBC, Flame Ventures and Playground, and will begin production later this year.
The 10-episode series introduces Dracula as he arrives in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. In reality, he hopes to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier. There's only one circumstance that can potentially thwart his plan: Dracula falls hopelessly in love with a woman who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife (Jessica De Gouw as “Mina”)
“Dracula” will be executive-produced by former president of HBO Films and Emmy winner Colin Callender (“The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby”) for Playground, Tony Krantz (“24”, “Sports Night”) for Flame Ventures, Gareth Neame ("Downton Abbey") for Carnival Films & Television (part of NBCUniversal International Television Production), Anne Mensah for Sky Living, and Universal Television. Reece Pearson from Flame Ventures is also co-executive producer.
“Dracula” is the latest in a series of co-productions embarked on by Sky, with previous projects including “Treasure Island,” “Strike Back” and “The Tunnel” with Canal+. Sky has previously signalled its commitment to original production by increasing its investment in original British content by 50 per cent over the next three years. By 2014, Sky expects to invest £600 million a year on home grown content across its portfolio of channels.
Additional casting and production details will be announced at a later date.
Notes to editor
For further information please contact:
Katharine Ware, Head of PR Sky Living
T: 0207 032 0674
M: 07824 824754
E: Katharine.Ware@bskyb.com
Rachel Tate
Publicist, Sky Living & Sky 1
0207 032 6481
rachel.tate@bskyb.com
www.skypressoffice.co.uk
Follow us on twitter @sky_livingPR
About Sky Living HD:
Sky Living HD is one of the U.K.’s ultimate entertainment destinations on TV, bringing customers the highest quality U.K. and U.S. productions.
Hugely successful commissions including “Bedlam,” “Love Machine” and “Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model,” hosted by global icon Elle Macpherson and now in its eighth season, have emerged as some of the U.K.’s most talked-about programs.
Sky Living HD begins a new journey from August with the launch of several strong, aspirational, female-facing programs - including Rihanna’s new show “Styled to Rock,” an brand new season of “Mount Pleasant,” new comedy “Gates,” script-edited by Jennifer Saunders and starring Sue Johnston, Joanna Page and Tom Ellis, as well as “The Spa” -- a new comedy from Derren Litten, the creator of “Benidorm,” coming later in the year.
Sky Living HD has also built a reputation for identifying and bringing its customers the best U.S. shows including; “Bones,” “Cougar Town,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Unforgettable,” “Supernatural,” “Criminal Minds” and “America’s Next Top Model.” And this autumn will see one of the most talked-about new U.S. shows join this already amazing lineup as “Elementary,” starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, comes to Sky Living.
Sky Living HD's is available at channel 107 cementing its place in Sky’s strengthened entertainment line-up, on the front page of the Sky EPG.
