Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley has signed on for a project that will take her from the silver screen to the small one. Ridley will star in The Christie Affair, an adaptation of Nina de Gramont‘s historical fiction novel about the highly publicized affair of mystery novelist Agatha Christie‘s husband.
In reality, after Christie’s husband’s affair became public, she disappeared. Her disappearance made international headlines and an exhaustive manhunt was conducted for eleven days before she was found staying in a hotel under a fake name. Christie never publicly commented on what happened in those eleven days and left the whole event out of her autobiography.
de Gramont’s book asks what happened in those eleven days. Told from the perspective of Christie’s husband’s mistress, Nan O’Dea, the story takes details from the affair and disappearance and weaves them together with fictional elements to create a murder mystery that sees Nan and Agatha’s lives become intertwined in more ways than they expected.
The book was published back in February and quickly became a hit. The project is being developed by Miramax TV. Juliette Towhidi – who previously wrote Calendar Girls and another murder mystery, BBC miniseries Death Comes to Pemberley – will write the screenplay.
Marc Helwig, Head of Worldwide Television at Miramax TV, said of Ridley’s casting:
“We couldn’t be more grateful to be joined by Daisy on this incredible project – as both the star as well as our producing partner. Daisy is one of the most captivating and talented actors working today, and we’re excited for her to bring Nina de Gramont‘s fascinating Nan O’Dea to life.”
This should be an exciting project for Ridley as she begins to navigate her post-Star Wars career. Other projects she’s currently working on are upcoming psychological thriller The Marsh King’s Daughter, a biopic of American swimmer Gertrude Ederle titled Young Woman and the Sea, and drama Sometimes I Think About Dying.
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