Richard Gadd will star in Half Man alongside Jamie Bell.
26/02/24: Cast update
With production currently taking place, the BBC have provided additional cast details for Richard Gadd’s Half Man.
The six-part drama, which stars Gadd alongside Jamie Bell, tells the story of Ruben and Niall and their decades-long relationship.
Mitchell Robertson, Stuart Campbell (Image: Agatha A Film on Film), Neve McIntosh (Image: Pip) and Marianne McIvor (Image: Jessica Hardwick)
Joining the pair are Neve McIntosh (Doctor Who) playing Niall’s mother Lori, whilst Marianne McIvor (Screw) is Ruben’s mother Maura.
Also in the cast are Charlie De Melo (Rivals), Bilal Hasna (Extraordinary), Julie Cullen (Traces), Amy Manson (The Nevers). Plus, Philippine Velge (The Serpent Queen), Stuart McQuarrie (The Rig), Piers Ewart (The Primrose Railway Children), Scot Greenan (T2 Trainspotting). Newcomers Charlotte Blackwood and Calum Manchip round out the ensemble.
Richard Gadd, creator, writer and executive producer, says:
“Having scoured far and wide and met some of the most amazing talent this country has to offer, I’m so pleased to have landed on the cast that we have. I cannot wait for all our actors, young and old, to bring these characters to life. I have every faith everyone will fall in love with these performers as much as I did.”
Half Man is filming in and around Glasgow, and expected to air in 2026. We’ll keep you posted.
Original article (of 26/11/24) continues…
Half Man – BBC announced new show from Baby Reindeer creator
Richard Gadd felt the glare of the media spotlight earlier this year when his semi-autobiographical show Baby Reindeer became a breakout hit for Netflix.
The story of an obsessive fan stalking him led to audience acclaim, but also intense online scrutiny about the alleged real-life characters involved and the level of due diligence taken by the production. We believe legal exchanges are still ongoing, but the show walked away with six Emmy awards, from eleven nominations, including Outstanding Lead Actor gongs for Gadd and his co-star Jessica Gunning.
How, the BBC have dropped details of Gadd’s next project, an original six-episode drama series titled Half Man. Gadd will again star, this time alongside Jamie Bell (Rocketman).
Here’s the synopsis:
Half Man follows estranged ‘brothers’ Niall (Jamie Bell) and Ruben (Richard Gadd). When Ruben shows up unexpectedly at Niall’s wedding, it leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives. Spanning almost 40 years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers’ relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. Half Man will capture the wild energy of a changing city – a changing world, even – and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question… What does it mean to be a man?
Richard Gadd, creator, writer and executive producer, says:
“I am delighted to confirm I will be playing Ruben in the newly crowned Half Man for the BBC / HBO alongside the incomparable Jamie Bell. When I wrote the show, I did it with him in mind, never thinking for a second we would manage to land him. So I could not be happier for everything that has come to pass in getting him on board. He is one of the greatest actors of his generation and I am so looking forward to seeing what he does with the role. Thanks to all the staff at the BBC, HBO, and Mam Tor Productions for making it all happen. I cannot wait to work with you all in the months ahead.”
The series comes from Mam Tor Productions (a Banijay UK company) for the BBC and BBC Scotland in a co-production with HBO, which will air the series in the US.
Half Man is set to film in Scotland in 2025.