Everything We Know About The On-Screen Adaption Of Sally Rooney’s Normal People

It’s the book everyone was obsessed with over the last year or so, so it was only a matter of time before Normal People was adapted for the screen.

Sally Rooney’s award-winning second book is currently being made into a 12-part TV show for BBC Three and Hulu.

The book, which follows Connell and Marianne in their complicated relationship over the years will be adapted by the author Sally Rooney, along with Alice Birch and Mark O’Rowe. So it’s likely it’ll closely follow the plot and tone of the book.

Lenny Abrahamson, of Room, and Hettie McDonald who has directed episodes of Doctor Who and Howard’s End are directing the series.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing Sally Rooney’s extraordinary novel to the screen with such a brilliant cast and crew,” Lenny Abrahamson said.

Normal People is being filmed between Sligo, Dublin and Italy, where many of the book’s scenes take place.

Much of the cast has already been announced, including our protagonists.

Daisy Edgar-Jones from Cold Feet is playing Marianne, and while the casting is perfect in terms of how we’d imagine she’d look, we’re hoping the London-born actress executes the Carricklea/Sligo accent.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Daisy Edgar-Jones (@daisyedgarjones) on Jan 22, 2019 at 3:52am PST

Connell will be played by Irish actor Paul Mescal. If you’ve seen Louise O’Neill’s Asking For It on stage you’ll remember his powerful portrayal of Emma’s big brother Byran.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Paul Mescal (@paul.mescal) on Mar 30, 2019 at 11:34am PDT

Speaking of the casting choice Abrahamson added: “In Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal, I feel I have found two young actors who can vividly capture Marianne and Connell and bring alive the profound and beautiful relationship at the centre of the story. It’s also lovely for me to be shooting in Ireland again and telling an Irish story after shooting abroad.”

Also on board is Sarah Greene of Penny Dreadful and Rebellion, who will play Connell’s mother Lorraine.

Speaking about the production Sarah told VIP Magazine: “Sally is heavily involved in the writing of the show, she has written the first few episodes. It is really true to the books”

Laurence O’Fuarain will play John Byrne while Lancelot Ncube will play Lukas.

It’s set to premiere in 2020, though there’s no exact release date just yet.

• Normal People
• Sally Rooney