Paramount+ Australia and Screen Australia have joined forces to announce the greenlighting of a new original drama series called Fake.
Scheduled for a 2024 premiere on Paramount+, the series draws its inspiration from Stephanie Wood’s book of the same name.
“Fake is a gripping emotional thriller that explores truth, love, lies and the stories we tell ourselves,”
said Sophia Mogford, Executive Producer, Drama and Comedy, Paramount ANZ.
“The concept of ‘it would never happen to me’ is a familiar one to us all, and Fake which centres around this, is a nuanced and fascinating story, and there really is no one better than Imogen Banks to bring all this to life,” added Mogford.
Imogen Banks of Kindling Pictures, alongside Emelyne Palmer, serves as the producer for the eight-episode series. Co-producing the project is Asher Keddie, who is also set to take the lead role. Keddie, a Gold Logie Award winner, has previously been part of projects such as “Offspring,” “Party Tricks,” and “Love My Way.”
The television adaptation is penned by Anya Beyersdorf, an AWGIE award-winning screenwriter. The series will be directed by Emma Freeman, a laureate of AACTA and the Australian Director’s Guild awards, known for her work on “Secret City,” “Glitch,” and “The Newsreader.”
David Wenham, an Australian Film Institute Award winner, will be acting opposite Keddie. Wenham has a notable career, with roles in “SeaChange,” “Elvis,” and the “Lord of the Rings” series. The series unravels the story of Birdie Bell, portrayed by Keddie, a talented magazine writer who falls for a seemingly perfect man, Joe Burt, played by Wenham, via a dating app. However, as Birdie gets more entangled in the relationship, she uncovers unsettling truths.
Grainne Brunsdon, Head of Content at Screen Australia, conveyed her enthusiasm about the upcoming drama: “Fake promises to be a captivating addition to the Australian television landscape and a project that Screen Australia is thrilled to support.”
The project comes as a major production investment from both Paramount ANZ and Screen Australia, in collaboration with VicScreen. Entertainment One (eOne) is assigned to manage international sales.
“Inspired by Stephanie Wood’s book of the same name, Fake throws us inside the confusing and deluding experience of a relationship built on lies,” said Imogen Banks, founder of Kindling Pictures.
The commissioning of “Fake” signifies another ambitious move for Paramount+ Australia in building a robust catalogue of local content.
The series aims to scrutinize complex themes such as love, trust, and authenticity in the modern world, making it one to watch in the streaming platform’s 2024 lineup.
