Media Release: Thursday August 27, 2015
Foxtel has announced the outstanding line-up of Australian and international cast for its new political thriller mini-series Secret City, which commenced filming in Canberra this week.
Inspired by the best-selling novels The Marmalade Files and The Mandarin Code, written by Canberra journalists Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis, Secret City is a six-part series set in a world of secrets, lies, murder and betrayal – beneath the placid facade of Canberra.
Two time Academy Award nominee Jacki Weaver returns to Australian television in the role of Labor powerbroker Senator Catriona Bailey. Anna Torv (Fringe, Deadline Gallipoli) plays savvy political journalist Harriet Dunkley; Dan Wyllie (Puberty Blues, Tangle) as Minister of Defence Mal Paxton and Damon Herriman (Justified, The Water Diviner) as ASD senior analyst Kim Gordon.
Further cast announced today:
Alex Dimitriades (The Slap, The Principal) as ASIO officer Charles Dancer
Alan Dale (NCIS, The X Files, Ugly Betty, 24, The West Wing) as Australian Prime Minister Martin Toohey
Mekhi Phifer (ER, Divergent, 8 Mile) as US Ambassador Moreton
Sacha Horler (Crownies, The Dressmaker) as the PM’s Chief of Staff, Ludie Sypek
Marcus Graham (Janet King, Crownies) as political correspondent Andrew “Griff” Griffiths
Miranda Tapsell (Love Child) as Canberra journalist Sasha Rose
Eugenia Yuan (Memoirs of a Geisha, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend) as Weng Meigui, wife of the Chinese ambassador
Benedict Samuel (The Walking Dead) as Canberra University tutor Felix Crawford
Justin Smith (Devil’s Playground, Deadline Gallipoli) as ASD Director William Vaughn
Brenna Harding (Puberty Blues) as Canberra University student Cassie
Matt Zeremes (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) as Senior Constable Sean Brimmer
Chris Haywood (Beneath Hill 60, Shine) as Lloyd Rankin, former Head of Mission in China
Max Cullen (The Great Gatsby, Devil’s Playground) as Les Gordon, Kim’s father
Secret City will showcase some of Canberra’s most iconic locations, including Parliament House, the National Gallery, the Australian National University and around Lake Burley Griffin.
Amidst rising tension between China and America, journalist Harriet Dunkley (Torv) will uncover a secret city of interlocked conspiracies, putting innocent lives in danger – including her own.
Secret City is a Matchbox Pictures production for Foxtel, supported by Screen Australia and Screen ACT.
It will be directed by Emma Freeman (Glitch, Tangle, Hawke, Puberty Blues).
Joanna Werner (Dance Academy, Ready For This) will produce the series. Executive Producers are Foxtel’s Head of Drama Penny Win, and Penny Chapman, from Matchbox Pictures.
Secret City has been written by Matt Cameron (Jack Irish, Old School), Belinda Chayko (The Gods of Wheat Street, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Old School) and Greg Waters (Janet King, Devil’s Dust), who is also Script Producer.
Secret City will air on Foxtel’s showcase in 2016.
-Brad