Cast Announced For New BBC Series Conversations With Friends From Author Of Normal People

The cast has been officially announced for the hotly-anticipated drama Conversations With Friends, based on the debut novel by Normal People writer, Sally Rooney.

The series, which will air next year, focuses on the complicated relationships of Frances, a 21 year old college student, faces as she is forced to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.

While performing spoken-word poetry with best friend and ex-girlfriend Bobbi, she meets Melissa and her boyfriend, Nick. While Bobbi and Melissa flirt, Nick and Frances embark on an intense, secret affair that is surprising to them both.

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Frances will be played by newcomer Alison Oliver, who comes from Lir Academy - the acting school Normal People's Paul Mescal also graduated from. Elsewhere, Bobbi will be played by Sasha Lane, who starred in American Honey, Melissa will be played by Sex Education and Girls star Jemima Kirke. Joe Alwyn, who has previously starred in The Favourite will play Nick.

Viewers may also recognise Joe as Taylor Swift's boyfriend, with the pair starting a low-key and private relationship in 2017.

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The series will be directed by Lenny Abrahamson, who worked on 2020 hit Normal People, and writer Alice Birch who will work alongside writers Mark O'Halloran (Rialto), Meadhbh McHugh (Asking For It) and Susan Soon He Stanton (Succession) on the 12-part drama.

Speaking about the project, Lenny said: "I feel so excited to be collaborating with four such superb actors to bring Sally's brilliant novel to the screen. Over the last few months it has been a privilege to work alongside Element Pictures and our extraordinary team of writers to get the scripts to a point where we all feel so excited to start shooting.

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"I'll be joined by a world class crew (many of whom worked on Normal People) and supporting cast and I'm particularly happy to have Leanne Welham come on board. I've been an admirer of her work for a long time and I have no doubt she will bring great skill and subtlety to the episodes she directs."

Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, added: "Lenny's deep affinity for Sally's writing and talent for finding actors to bring her fictional creations to life played a huge part in bringing Normal People so successfully to screen.

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"In casting Alison, Sasha, Joe and Jemima, that same flair and instinct is in evidence and we can't wait to see how they will bring Frances, Bobbi, Nick and Melissa to life."

Topics: Normal People, TV News, TV & Film

Kimberley Bond

Kim is a journalist at Tyla, and has previously worked at the Evening Standard, Radio Times as well as several national newspapers. A showbiz obsessive and a television fanatic, Kim is particularly interested in celebrity gossip, A-list events and the latest releases on either the big or small screen. Contact her at [email protected]

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