Anna Paquin has joined the Netflix/CBC miniseries “Alias Grace,” TheWrap has learned.
The show tells the story of Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon) a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott, was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery (Paquin) in 1843.
Nancy is Kinnear’s housekeeper and lover, and while she initially befriends Grace, she begins to resent Grace and becomes increasingly jealous of Kinnear’s affection for her. Nancy eventually fires Grace in a fit of rage and is later found brutally murdered.
Based on the novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, it is written and produced by Sarah Polley and directed by Mary Harron. It will be broadcast in Canada on CBC and globally – everywhere outside of Canada – on Netflix.
“Anna is an incredibly versatile performer who always makes complex, unpredictable and fascinating choices in her work,” Polley. “It’s always a marvel to watch her and we’re thrilled to have her join the cast.”
“Alias Grace” is co-commissioned by CBC and Netflix, produced by Halfire Entertainment and created by Sarah Polley. The executive producers are Polley, Harron, and Noreen Halpern. Producing alongside Polley is D.J. Carson.