YOU KNOW HIM well from his performances in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn and Sam Levinson’s Euphoria — but in the upcoming miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North, you’ll be seeing Jacob Elordi like never before, as the Australian actor takes on his first project in his home country, using his own accent.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North has been adapted by Australian writer Shaun Grant and director Justin Kurzel, from the Booker Prize winning novel by Australian writer Richard Flanagan. It’s an epic love story set amid the brutality of World War II, following the life of Lieutenant-Colonel Dorrigo Evans (played by Elordi) and his love affair with Amy Mulvaney (played by Odessa Young).
Read on for everything we know about the miniseries thus far, from the plot and cast to the first look images.
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What is The Narrow Road to the Deep North about?
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is adapted from Australian author Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize winning novel of the same name, which was published in 2013. The story is set during World War II, following Lieutenant-Colonel Dorrigo Evans throughout chapters of his life — focusing on his brief love affair with Amy Mulvaney, and how it changed his life forever.
According to Prime Video, throughout the series, “We journey from Evans’ childhood to his experience as a prisoner-of-war on the Thailand-Burma Railway as a young man, and later in life, as a respected surgeon and Australian war hero.TheNarrow Road to the Deep Northis a love story to sustain audiences through the darkest of times, an intimate character study illustrating the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity, and an investigation into a marriage and an unforgettable love affair.”
New first-look photos of the production revealed by Prime Video picture Jacob Elordi in character as Dorrigo. In one photograph, he’s pictured in uniform, crouching among other soldiers in a jungle setting.
In another photo, Elordi’s Dorrigo is pictured sharing martinis with Amy, played by Odessa Young. The pair are locking eyes in an intimate setting, illuminated by candlelight.
Who stars in The Narrow Road to the Deep North?
The Narrow Road to the Deep North stars Australia’s own Jacob Elordi as Dorrigo Evans, and fellow Australian actor Odessa Young as his paramour Amy Mulvaney.
Elordi recently played Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, and won hearts as Felix in Emerald Fennell’s twisted 2023 film Saltburn alongside Barry Keoghan. The actor previously told Harper’s BAZAAR Australia/New Zealand of his excitement for working with director Justin Kurzel on a project at home in his native accent.
“Justin has been a hero of mine since I was 15 years old, so I’m really excited to be returning to Australia for this film,” he said ahead of filming the project. “It’s also going to be the first time that I’ve acted at home in my voice, so I’m terribly excited to dive into that.”
Young started out with Nine’s network drama Tricky Business, and earned acclaim for her role in The Daughter in 2015, for which she won an AACTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. More recently, she starred alongside Josh O’Connor in 2021’s Mothering Sunday, with Elisabeth Moss in 2020’s Shirley, and with Colin Firth, Toni Colette and Sophie Turner in 2022’s The Staircase.
Also appearing in the series are Irish actor Ciarán Hinds as the older version of Elordi’s Dorrigo and Miss Fisher and One Day star, Australian actress Essie Davis as Lynette. Also appearing in yet-unnamed roles are Elvis star and Australian actor Olivia DeJonge (who appeared in The Staircase with Young), Heartbreak High‘s Thomas Weatherall, and Australian acting veteran Simon Baker.
The series was adapted by Australian writer-director duo Shaun Grant and Justin Kurzel, who have worked together previously on Snowtown, The True History of the Kelly Gang and Nitram, the controversial film based on Port Arthur mass murderer Martin Bryant, which swept the AACTA Awards as well as winning the Best Actor award at Cannes Film Festival for lead star Caleb Landry Jones.
How many episodes of The Narrow Road to the Deep North are there?
The miniseries adaptation of The Narrow Road to the Deep North will consist of five episodes.
What is the release date for The Narrow Road To The Deep North in Australia?
It’s unclear just yet when The Narrow Road to the Deep North will be released, as production has only just wrapped in New South Wales as of March 2024 — but we know it will be available to stream on Prime Video in Australia and New Zealand.
