From a media release:
SPACE, BBC America, and Temple Street Productions Announce Canadian-Born Actor Tatiana Maslany as the Lead in New Original Series ORPHAN BLACK
Bell Media’s SPACE, BBC America, and Temple Street Productions today announced that rising star and Canadian-born actor Tatiana Maslany (Cas & Dylan, Picture Day, The Vow, and FLASHPOINT) is set to star in the new original series ORPHAN BLACK, produced by Temple Street Productions for SPACE and BBC America. The announcement was made as Maslany was feted for her starring role in the feature Picture Day, which received its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival® (TIFF). The Genie and Gemini-nominated actor, who received the 2010 Sundance special jury prize for Grown Up Movie Star, is capturing the increasing attention of fans and industry elite alike, including recent critical acclaim from The Globe and Mail, Toronto Sun, and NOW Magazine. Set to begin production in Toronto this October, additional casting for the 10 episode series will be announced soon.
In ORPHAN BLACK, Maslany stars as Sarah, an outsider, orphan, and street-wise chameleon who has a murky past and tenuous future after she witnesses a woman’s suicide. After deciding to assume the identity of the dead stranger who looks just like her, Sarah learns the dizzying truth – that she and the dead woman are clones. As Sarah searches for answers, she discovers another chilling fact: there are more clones out there. They are all genetically identical individuals who were planted in unsuspecting birth parents and nurtured in completely different circumstances. They have no idea who created them – or why – but they need to discover the reason in a hurry. An assassin is killing them, one by one.
About Tatiana Maslany
A Regina, Saskatchewan-born actor now living in Toronto, Maslany is a rising star who has been acting for over 15 years in film, television, theatre, and radio. In that time, she has amassed an incredibly impressive resume with leading roles in many features. Her starring role in Grown Up Movie Star opposite Shawn Doyle competed at Sundance 2010 and garnered her the special jury prize for ‘Breakout Star’ at the festival as well as a Genie Award nomination. Her recent feature credits include The Vow, opposite Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum; Geoffrey Fletcher’s directorial debut Violet And Daisy, opposite Saoirse Ronan and Alexis Bledel, which premiered at TIFF 2011; a lead role in Sean Garrity’s improvisational feature Blood Pressure opposite Jake Epstein; and Entitled with Ray Liotta, Victor Garber, and Kevin Zegers. Some of Maslany’s television credits include WORLD WITHOUT END, based on the novel by Ken Follett; her Gemini Award-nominated performance in NATIVITY, directed by Coky Giedroyc; CERTAIN PREY opposite Mark Harmon; as well as her Gemini Award-winning performances on BLOODLETTING AND MIRACULOUS CURES and FLASHPOINT.
ORPHAN BLACK is executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Being Erica), Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT) and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE). The series is co-created by Manson and Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director. BBC Worldwide will distribute the series internationally.
ORPHAN BLACK is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Bell Media and BBC America. Production Executives are Trish Williams and Gosia Kamela. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.
This sounds like a very promising show. Great actress. Looking forward to seeing it next year!