Photo: Leo Cackett
Michelle De Swarte (The Duchess) has been set as the lead in The Baby, the eight episode Sky Atlantic/HBO co-production that hails from Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer. Amira Ghazalla and Amber Grappy have also been cast in the series.
The Baby is described as a funny, raw examination of motherhood as an institution: a set of unspoken and often horrifying rules that affect women differently depending on how they’re viewed by society. If you’re not scared by that, you should be. It follows Natasha, who is the friend who’s never made long-term plans. So when she is unexpectedly landed with a baby, her life of doing what she wants, when she wants, dramatically implodes.
Controlling, manipulative and with violent powers, the baby twists Natasha’s life into a horror show. And as she discovers the true extent of its deadly nature, Natasha makes increasingly desperate attempts to get rid of the baby. But while she doesn’t want a baby, the baby wants her. The drama series, which was co-created by Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer, is set up at Sister and Proverbial Pictures. The directors are Nicole Kassell, Stacey Gregg, Faraz Shariat and Ella Jones. The executive producers Jane Featherstone, Carolyn Strauss, Naomi de Pear, Katie Carpenter, Siân Robins-Grace and Nicole Kassell.
“Natasha is an emotionally arrested, flawed and 100% relatable character that I find it hard not to fall in love with as I read through the scripts”, Michelle De Swarte said in a statement. “To be able to play someone I not only understand but am rooting for is a dream come true. Siân has written someone with depth, honesty and an authenticity that is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching. I feel extremely blessed to be working with so many kick ass women on a project that is deliciously female centred.”
While series co-creators Siân Robins-Grace and Lucy Gaymer added: “Our Casting Director Aisha Bywaters has done a phenomenal job in bringing together Michelle, Amira and Amber these three incredible actors to helm the cast. As soon as we met them it felt like the roles were written for them. We’re very excited to be working with Stacey, Faraz and Ella as directors across the show – brilliantly talented directors who will bring the episodes to life.”
