Yahoo Lifestyle James Norton to Lead and Produce Miniseries Based on ‘Wavewalker’ Memoir, Being Adapted by ‘Adolescence’ Writer Jack Thorne
James Norton may be one of the busiest British actors currently working — with upcoming roles including “House of the Dragon,” “House of Guinness” and “King and Conquerer” on the small screen and Guy Ritchie’s now-in-production “Wife and Dog” on the big. But he’s also emerged as a prolific producer through Rabbit Track, the company he co-founded a few years ago alongside Kitty Kaletsky — and landed backing from Banijay U.K.
Speaking at a Series Mania, Norton said the decision to move into production was a realisation of the “disconnect between the way actors are treated and the credit they take … and their actual contribution.”
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He said he “started to hanker after more creative contribution,” and noted that the pedestal actors are put upon isn’t often accurate.
“We always talk actors as the artists,” he said. “I do believe that there’s a lot of contribution, but a lot of it is nonsense.”
Rabbit Track’s slate, said Kaletsky, is about 20% film and 80% TV, and acknowledged that Norton’s star power was the initial hook to get its output commissioned.
“We originally thought, ‘James will be in half of what we do, irrespective of the medium,’ but that’s not the case anymore.” she said, while Norton asserted the company “was not a vanity project.”
ITV drama “Playing Nice,” scored great viewing figures for Rabbit Track in January, but this summer sees the launch of their biggest production, “King and Conquerer,” telling the story of the lead up the U.K.’s famed Battle of Hastings 1066 between King Harold and William the Conquerer. Shot in Iceland last year, the series will air on the BBC in the U.K. and Paramount+ globally.
Norton and Kaletsky also unveiled a new project, being written by Jack Thorne, currently riding high off the back of “Adolescence.” Based on the memoir by Suzanne Haywood, “Wavewalker” will be a miniseries following a family who sail the world following Captain Cook’s journey in the 1970s after the father (to be played by Norton) sells their house.
“It’s about how a parent treats their child, what it is to be a good parent, what it is to set you children free,” said Kaletsky “But there are also tidal waves and shipwrecks and the very near death-defying experiences what they went through. So there’s real scale to it.”
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