Cameras Roll On New Australian Mystery Drama Starring Morgana O’Reilly And Dame Harriet Walter.
Playing Gracie Darling Exclusive To Paramount+ In 2025.
Paramount+ Australia today announced filming is well underway in New South Wales’ Hawkesbury River region, with Paramount+ Original drama series, Playing Gracie Darling, a six-hour scripted mystery drama produced by Curio Pictures. Sony Pictures Television is distributing the series internationally.
Created and written by Miranda Nation (Undertow) and directed by Jonathan Brough (Rosehaven, The End), Playing Gracie Darling stars Morgana O’Reilly (The White Lotus Season Three*, Friends Like Her*) playing Joni and features an ensemble cast of notable names, including Dame Harriet Walter (Succession, Ted Lasso) playing Pattie, Rudi Dharmalingam (Wakefield, The Lazarus Project) playing Jay, Celia Pacquola (Rosehaven, Love Me) playing Ruth, Annie Maynard playing Anita (Upper Middle Bogan, Colin From Accounts), Dan Spielman (The Code, New Gold Mountain) playing Peter, Anne Tenney (The Castle, A Country Practice) playing Moira, and Chloe Brink (Thou Shalt Not Steal, Raising Thunder) playing Mina.
Playing Gracie Darling is set in a place where everyone knows each other, secrets are buried deep, and where being different is impossible to hide.
Told through an unapologetically female lens, Playing Gracie Darling is executive produced by Curio’s Jo Porter and Rachel Gardner, Sophia Mogford for Paramount+ and Miranda Nation. Laura Nagy is on board as associate producer and additional scripts are written by Anya Beyersdorf (Fake).
When Joni was 14, her best friend Gracie Darling disappeared during a séance and hasn’t been seen since.
Twenty-seven years on, Joni is a child psychologist and has never forgiven herself for Gracie’s disappearance.
Joni is haunted by her past when she receives a startling call from her childhood friend Jay, now a local cop, alerting her that another Darling girl has disappeared during a seance.
Miranda Nation, series creator and writer, said: “Playing Gracie Darling is an ode to the power of friendship and society’s fear of the unknown.”
Actress, Morgana O’Reilly, said: “This is a cast of incredible actors. I’ve found myself in the middle of a scene hoping I’m living up to what they’re putting down. This show is gritty, real and perfectly spooky. I can’t wait to see it all come together.”
Actress, Dame Harriet Walter, said: “Playing Gracie Darling is a brilliantly constructed “keeps-you-guessing” script, and the part of Pattie is quite unlike anything I have played before. She is well-meaning, if a bit misguided, dabbling in the mystic world which sometimes causes her to miss what’s under her nose. But I also like that she pursues her own earthly pleasures. That is rarely portrayed or even suggested in older female characters.”
Playing Gracie Darling is a Curio Pictures production for Paramount+. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Paramount Australia. Financed with support from Screen NSW’s Made in NSW Fund. Local distribution by Paramount Australia. International Sales by Sony Pictures Television. Post, digital and visual effects supported by Screen NSW.
