Paramount+ has released the official trailer for its upcoming UK Original Drama The Doll Factory.
The new TV series is set to start streaming in the UK and Ireland from 27 November, with all episodes available from 1 December.
An adaptation of Elizabeth Macneal’s Sunday Times bestselling novel of the same name, The Doll Factory stars Esmé Creed-Miles as Iris, an artist confined to making mourning dolls with her twin sister Rose, portrayed by Mirren Mack.
Iris’s secret nightly endeavours of painting herself in the nude unveil her suppressed creative spirit. Pippa Haywood plays Mrs. Salter, under whose watchful eye Iris lives and works. The cast also includes Éanna Hardwicke as Silas, a taxidermist with ambitions of fame, and George Webster as Louis, a painter from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, who is in search of a muse.
Set against the backdrop of the bustling city during the Great Exhibition, the series follows Iris as she is presented with a chance to escape and start anew. Her journey of self-discovery involves challenging societal norms, exploring her sexuality, and realizing her dreams. However, this newfound freedom comes with the unfolding of a dark and obsessive narrative.
The ensemble cast includes Sharlene Whyte, Reece Kenwyne-Mpudzi, Freddy Carter, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Laurie Kynaston, Jim Caesar, Akshay Khanna, Aysha Kala and Nell Hudson.
Elizabeth Macneal, the author of the novel, said: “It might sound like a cliché, but to have my novel turned into a TV series is a dream come true. It has been an extraordinary process to see ideas that once existed only in my head, coming to life on set and now on screen.
“Each scene has been perfectly rendered – from the artist Louis Frost’s lavish painting studio, to the doll shop where twins Iris and Rose paint the faces of china dolls. Buccaneer has been a joy to work with, and Charley Miles’s script excited me from the very first page. I can’t wait to share this story with viewers!”
Anna Burns, producer from Buccaneer, said: “We are so excited for viewers to enter the world of The Doll Factory. We couldn’t be more proud of what our incredible creative team – led by Charley Miles, Sacha Polak & Cathy Brady – have created, and of our phenomenally talented cast.
“Thank you, once more, to Elizabeth Macneal for giving us the gift of her debut novel, to Paramount+ for being such supportive collaborators throughout, and finally to our partners at Cineflix, SBS and TVNZ for recognising the potential of the show so early on.”
