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Once you’ve held the mantle of 007, no other spy role comes remotely close. At least that’s how BAFTA-winner Lashana Lynch felt when she was first offered the role of British intelligence operative Bianca in Peacock’s espionage thriller: The Day of the Jackal series (the first five episodes premiere November 14).
“I read those first three episodes and was genuinely looking for a reason not to take it,” the actress recently admitted to The Hollywood Reporter, alluding to her stint as Nomi, an MI6 agent who inherits James Bond’s iconic numerical designation in No Time to Die. “[I was like], ‘No, I’m okay. I’ve done this legacy role,’ but actually they completely brought me in.”
RELATED: Everything to Know About Peacock’s The Day of the Jackal
Why Lashana Lynch and Eddie Redmayne said “yes” to The Day of the Jackal
Lynch’s about-face came down to the fact that the show (based on the 1971 novel of the same name by Frederick Forsyth, who consulted on the adaptation) would shine a light on an aspect of shadowy spy-work seldom seen in mainstream entertainment. “We immediately dove into the psychology that is behind women in this espionage world, which we don’t get to tackle, we don’t get to discuss,” she explained. “I really hope this show turns this on its head for the industry.”
Her co-star, Academy Award-winner Eddie Redmayne, who plays the titular assassin, boarded the show for one very simple reason: he was a big fan of the book and the 1973 film translation from director Fred Zinneman. “The original movie and Frederick Forsyth’s books were pretty formative for me,” said the Fantastic Beasts alum.
Despite feeling “a tremendous amount of trepidation” about tackling a character who can kill and look like anyone, Redmayne focused on the game of “cat and mouse” between Jackal and Bianca, as well as the former’s “deeply human” characteristics.
When does The Day of the Jackal premiere?
The first five episodes of The Day of the Jackal are scheduled to make their exclusive American debut on Peacock Thursday, November 14. Weekly episodes will then follow until the double-episode finale Thursday, December 12.
Peacock offers two monthly subscription plans: Premium ($7.99 a month with ads) and Premium Plus ($13.99 a month with no ads and download access for certain titles). If you’re a student, you can enjoy the Premium plan for just $1.99 for an entire year!
Ronan Bennett (a co-writer on Michael Mann’s John Dillinger drama Public Enemies) created the show. He serves as an executive producer alongside director Brian Kirk, Eddie Redmayne, Gareth Neame, Nigel Marchant, Sam Hoyle, and Sue Naegle. Lashana Lynch and Chris Hall are co-executive producer and producer, respectively.
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