RTÉ UNVEILS CAST FOR NEW WALSH SISTERS COMEDY DRAMA BASED ON NOVELS BY MARIAN KEYES
RTÉ in association with the BBC has announced the lead cast members for its new comedy drama series, The Walsh Sisters, inspired by the novels of international best-selling author Marian Keyes.
The first season of The Walsh Sisters, which is currently in production, directed by Ian FitzGibbon, (Hullraisers, Moone Boy) features a chaotic, dysfunctional but deeply loveable family of five sisters, their mother and bemused father. It is in part based on two of Keyes’s books, the blockbuster novels Rachel’s Holiday and Anybody Out There. The comedy drama is produced by award-winning indies Cuba Pictures and Metropolitan Pictures, with producer Patrick O’Donoghue (The Tourist, Brooklyn, The Wonder) in association with the BBC, Screen Ireland and Cineflix Rights as the exclusive worldwide distribution partner.
Headlining the cast are Louisa Harland (Derry Girls; Renegade Nell; Love/Hate) as the troubled Anna Walsh and rising talent Caroline Menton, (Oddity) taking on the role of one of Marian’s most loved characters sister Rachel. Danielle Galligan (House of Guinness; KIN, Spilt Milk; Shadow and Bone) brings oldest sister Claire to life and BAFTA-nominated Máiréad Tyers (Extraordinary, My Lady Jane, Belfast) plays the fearless baby of the family, Helen. The final Walsh sister is will be played by multi-hyphenate stage, screen and screenwriting talent Stefanie Preissner (Solpadeine is My Boyfriend; Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope; How to Adult), who plays Maggie, ‘mammy’s favourite’.
In addition to appearing on screen as Maggie, Dublin-based Preissner, who created RTÉ’s groundbreaking comedy drama Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope, is entrusted with the adaptation of Keyes’ much-loved books. As the creative lead and writer across the series, Preissner is joined by Kefi Chadwick (Rivals; Death in Paradise) writing two episodes.
Adding Hollywood stardust to the line-up is Irish-American actor Aidan Quinn (This is my Father, Legends of the Fall, Song for a Raggy Boy). Quinn has been tapped to play put-upon Jack ‘Daddy’ Walsh alongside his screen wife Carrie Crowley (An Cailín Ciúin; Hope Street; Smother), who recreates eccentric Mammy Walsh. American actress and personality Debi Mazar (Kaos, Younger) has signed up for the part of Chaquie.
Caroline Menton said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of The Walsh Sisters. Rachel is such a beloved character that has resonated with me and countless others around the world for nearly two decades. Hers is a story of hope and I feel so privileged to get the opportunity to bring Rachel to life and be a part of bringing Marian Keyes’ iconic Walsh family to the screen.”
Louisa Harland added: “Couldn’t be happier to be part of the Walsh family. These books mean so much to so many. It’s the dream job.”
Other cast members include Gina Moxley who will play Josephine (The Patient Gloria, Here Before) and Jay Duffy (Wheel of Time, Northern Lights) who will play Rachel’s complicated love interest Luke Costello. Samuel Anderson (Amandaland, Landscapers) has also been cast as Aidan – Anna’s love interest.
Billed as “a comedy about serious things — a pacey, brutally honest and uncompromisingly funny exposé of the realities of being an Irish sister”, The Walsh Sisters has commenced shooting for an autumn launch on RTÉ, followed by BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
The executive producers on the series are RTÉ’s head of drama David Crean and director of co-productions and acquisitions Dermot Horan; Cuba Pictures’ joint CEOs Dixie Linder and Nick Marston; MetropolitanPictures producer and joint CEO David McLoughlin; Cineflix Rights’ James Durie and Tom Misselbrook; Stefanie Preissner; and Marian Keyes and Tony Baines.
-ENDS-
RTÉ Communications: Éadaoin Nic Giolla Chomhaill
Mushroom Media: Cheryl Clarke
OH Communications: Mark Ogle
About The Walsh Sisters:
Set in their Dublin hometown, The Walsh Sisters follows the lives of Anna, Rachel, Maggie, Claire and Helen as they navigate the peaks and troughs of their late 20s and 30s. This is a sisterhood full of in-jokes, hand-me-down resentments and more than a few old wounds. But their DNA, history and shared love of power ballads keep the Walsh sisters together in the face of heartbreak, grief, addiction and parenthood.
Marian Keyes is one of the most successful Irish novelists of all time.
About Marian Keyes:
Marian Keyes is the multi-million copy, internationally bestselling author of some of the most widely-loved, genre-defying novels of the past 30 years, including Rachel’s Holiday, Anybody Out There and Grown Ups (Penguin Michael Joseph). She has amassed millions of fans around the world who are irresistibly drawn by her warmth and wit, fearless honesty, relatable characters and relationships, and sheer storytelling magic. Her books have explored some of the most challenging issues of our time, including addiction, immigration, depression, domestic violence and the Repeal the 8th campaign.
Her many accolades include five Irish Book Awards and being named Author of the Year at the prestigious British Book Awards in 2022. Since her first novel was published in 1995, more than 39 million copies of Keyes’ books have been sold around the world, translated into 36 languages. Rachel’s Holiday, Keyes’ darkly comic 1997 novel about alcohol addiction and rehab, was ranked 14th in The Sunday Times’ 2024 list of the top 50 novels of the 20th century.
Keyes is a passionate champion of storytellers everywhere, playing an active role in encouraging the next generation of writers. She has been the chair of judges for the Comedy Women in Print prize, a sponsor of the Curtis Brown Creative Marian Keyes scholarship, and ran her own hugely popular Instagram Live series bringing free creative writing courses to thousands of viewers.
Both critically acclaimed and commercially unstoppable, Keyes’ 16th novel, My Favourite Mistake was an immediate No. 1 bestseller in five territories: the UK, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. It was also a No. 1 Audible bestseller and one of Audible’s audiobooks of the year. My Favourite Mistake will be published in paperback on 13th February 2025.
In addition to her novels, Keyes has written two collections of journalism, one of which was used as the inspiration for her hit BBC Radio 4 show Between Ourselves. She also co-presents the popular BBC Radio 4 podcast Now You’re Asking with actress Tara Flynn, which has been praised by The Guardian for its “warm-hearted joy”. Keyes is based in Dublin.
Instagram: @marian_keyes | www.mariankeyes.com
About Cuba Pictures:
Cuba Pictures is a BAFTA-, Emmy-, RTA- and BIFA-winning production company celebrated for high-profile TV and film projects. TV highlights include McMafia, starring James Norton (BBC One/AMC), based on Misha Glenny’s bestseller and winner of the 2019 International Emmy for Best Drama; Coalition (RTS Award for Best Single Drama); multiple BAFTA-winning Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, starring Eddie Marsan and Bertie Carvel; and IFTA-winning Paula with Denise Gough (BBC Two/ RTÉ).
Cuba’s film credits include BAFTA-winning Boy A with Andrew Garfield; BIFA-winning Broken, starring Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy; The Ones Below with David Morrissey; London Road with Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy; and The Delinquent Season, starring Cillian Murphy and Andrew Scott.
In collaboration with The National Theatre, Cuba has produced four films, including Romeo and Juliet with Jessie Buckley and Josh O’Connor (RTSP-nominated) and Death of England: Face to Face (BAFTA/RTS-nominated). Most recently, Cuba produced The Chemistry of Death, an adaptation of Simon Beckett’s crime novels, which premiered on Paramount+ in 2023.
Currently, Cuba is in post-production on The Rumour, an adaptation of Lesley Kara’s bestselling novel.
About Metropolitan Films International:
With more than 25 years of experience in film and television production, Metropolitan Films International, in association with its global network of partners, develops, produces and provides a comprehensive suite of production services to international film and television projects locating in Ireland.
Metropolitan’s numerous award-winning feature film co-productions include Martin McDonagh’s Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin for Fox Searchlight; Disney’s Disenchanted, the sequel to 2007’s Enchanted; Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel for Fox, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Jodie Comer; and Silver for Constantin Film and Amazon Studios. Mostly recently, it co-produced Fifth Season and Lionsgate’s gripping political thriller Anniversary, starring Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler and Zoey Deutch.
Current projects in production include Wednesday (season two) for MGM/Netflix; Harry Wild (season four) for Acorn and ZDF, starring Jane Seymour; Sanctuary (season two) for AMC; and How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, Lisa McGee’s follow-up to Derry Girls, for Hat Trick and Netflix.
Metropolitan has also produced a wide variety of critically acclaimed television series, including the award-winning Irish crime drama KIN (seasons one and two) for BRON Studios, AMC, RTÉ and Screen Ireland, acquired by BBC and Netflix; The Tourist (season two), starring Jamie Dornan, for Two Brothers Pictures, BBC and All3Media; Vikings and Valhalla for MGM and Netflix; Penny Dreadful for Showtime; Greta, directed by Neil Jordan for Sidney Kimmel Entertainment and Universal; and Into The Badlands for AMC.
About Cineflix Rights:
Cineflix Rights is the UK’s largest independent TV content distributor to broadcasters and streamers worldwide, offering a catalogue of standout scripted series and movies as well as must-watch, long-running factual brands.
Cineflix Rights’ scripted slate features the new crime drama Virdee, based on the best-selling books by AA Dhand, for the BBC; the return of the international cult sensation Wynonna Earp: Vengeance for Tubi; dystopian thriller Heart Attack for Fuji TV; and the 2024 Séries Mania Official Selection So Long, Marianne, inspired by the love story between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen. These new titles join returning seasons of International Emmy® Best Drama Award-winning espionage series Tehran for Apple TV+; Paramount+ Australia’s crime drama Last King of The Cross; Reginald the Vampire, starring Spider-Man’s Jacob Batalon for SYFY US; Irvine Welsh’s Crime with Dougray Scott in his International Emmy® award-winning role for ITVX/BritBox; and Acorn TV’s cozy crime procedural Whitstable Pearl.
Entertaining the world since 2002, Cineflix Rights is based in London and is part of the Cineflix Media group of companies.