‘Six Feet Under’ Star Rachel Griffiths to Lead Escort Agency Comedy-Drama Series ‘Madam’ (Exclusive)
Rachel Griffiths has been cast as the lead in “Madam,” a new dramedy series about an escort agency.
Griffiths, best known for her roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, who sets up an ethical brothel in New Zealand after her philandering husband and mountain of debt leave her struggling to provide for her family.
Joining Griffiths on the show are Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and newcomer Ariāna Osborne.
The series, which started shooting on location this week, is based on Antonia Murphy’s unpublished memoir about an American woman who opened an ethical escort agency in New Zealand after the country decriminalized sex work. Murphy’s company aimed to protect women’s rights, well-being and financial independence.
Showrunners are Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”) while...
Griffiths, best known for her roles in “Six Feet Under” and “Brothers & Sisters,” stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, who sets up an ethical brothel in New Zealand after her philandering husband and mountain of debt leave her struggling to provide for her family.
Joining Griffiths on the show are Rima Te Wiata (“The Wheel of Time”), Danielle Cormack (“Wentworth”), Robbie Magasiva (“Bad Behaviour”), Martin Henderson (“Virgin River”) and newcomer Ariāna Osborne.
The series, which started shooting on location this week, is based on Antonia Murphy’s unpublished memoir about an American woman who opened an ethical escort agency in New Zealand after the country decriminalized sex work. Murphy’s company aimed to protect women’s rights, well-being and financial independence.
Showrunners are Shoshana McCallum (“Inside”) and Harry McNaughton (“The Pact”) while...
- 9/28/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: XYZ Films and Tavake, the Auckland-based producer of series The Panthers, have acquired adaptation rights to the unpublished memoirs Madame Mom by Antonia Murphy, author of the Huffington Post article I’m an Ethical Pimp.
Murphy, author of Dirty Chick: Adventures of an Unlikely Farmer published by Penguin Random House, moved from the U.S. to New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalized, and in 2016 founded an escort agency built on a philosophy of protecting women’s legal rights, emotional well-being, and financial independence.
A half-hour dramedy adaptation is underway with Shoshana McCallum, who won an International Emmy for Nz series Inside, and Harry McNaughton (The Pact) writing. It is Tavake and XYZ’s first series collaboration.
Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau (The Panthers) and Crystal Vaega (The Panthers) are executive-producing for Tavake, with Nick Spicer and Marci Wiseman for XYZ. Eric and...
Murphy, author of Dirty Chick: Adventures of an Unlikely Farmer published by Penguin Random House, moved from the U.S. to New Zealand, where sex work is decriminalized, and in 2016 founded an escort agency built on a philosophy of protecting women’s legal rights, emotional well-being, and financial independence.
A half-hour dramedy adaptation is underway with Shoshana McCallum, who won an International Emmy for Nz series Inside, and Harry McNaughton (The Pact) writing. It is Tavake and XYZ’s first series collaboration.
Tom Hern, Halaifonua Finau (The Panthers) and Crystal Vaega (The Panthers) are executive-producing for Tavake, with Nick Spicer and Marci Wiseman for XYZ. Eric and...
- 3/30/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The U.K. edition of “The Masked Singer,” comedy “Call My Agent” and drama “Tehran” were among the top winners Monday at the 49th annual International Emmy Awards in New York.
David Tennant took the trophy for best actor for his work as a deceptively meek serial killer in ITV’s “Des.” Hayley Squires won for actress for her role as a happily well-adjusted porn star in “Adult Material.”
Israeli drama “Tehran,” about a female Mossad agent who goes undercover in Iran, won the top drama series prize. Season 4 of “Call My Agent,” set among agents at a Paris talent rep firm, took the prize for comedy.
The ITV rendition of “Masked Singer” prevailed in the nonscripted entertainment category. Netflix’s “Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice” took the documentary award, marking the first International Emmy honor for a program from Thailand.
“Insecure” star Yvonne Orji hosted the ceremony at Casa Cipriani.
David Tennant took the trophy for best actor for his work as a deceptively meek serial killer in ITV’s “Des.” Hayley Squires won for actress for her role as a happily well-adjusted porn star in “Adult Material.”
Israeli drama “Tehran,” about a female Mossad agent who goes undercover in Iran, won the top drama series prize. Season 4 of “Call My Agent,” set among agents at a Paris talent rep firm, took the prize for comedy.
The ITV rendition of “Masked Singer” prevailed in the nonscripted entertainment category. Netflix’s “Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice” took the documentary award, marking the first International Emmy honor for a program from Thailand.
“Insecure” star Yvonne Orji hosted the ceremony at Casa Cipriani.
- 11/23/2021
- by William Earl
- Variety Film + TV
The French comedy Call My Agent and Israeli drama Tehran took the top prizes at the 49th annual International Emmys, which here handed out Monday night during an in-person ceremony in New York. See the full list of winners below.
The UK boasts both top acting honors David Tennant for crime thriller Des and Hayley Squires for porn drama Adult Material — as well as winning the Non-Scripted Entertainment prize for The Masked Singer.
Norway’s Atlantic Crossing went home with the Emmy for TV Movie/Miniseries, and Thailand’s Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice won for Documentary. It was the country’s first International Emmy.
“We are delighted to be able to gather the global television community, in-person again, in New York to celebrate the world’s best television.” said International Academy President & CEO Bruce Paisner. “The diversity and geographic spread of tonight’s winners demonstrate once again...
The UK boasts both top acting honors David Tennant for crime thriller Des and Hayley Squires for porn drama Adult Material — as well as winning the Non-Scripted Entertainment prize for The Masked Singer.
Norway’s Atlantic Crossing went home with the Emmy for TV Movie/Miniseries, and Thailand’s Hope Frozen: A Quest to Live Twice won for Documentary. It was the country’s first International Emmy.
“We are delighted to be able to gather the global television community, in-person again, in New York to celebrate the world’s best television.” said International Academy President & CEO Bruce Paisner. “The diversity and geographic spread of tonight’s winners demonstrate once again...
- 11/23/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
A mix of high-profile Kiwi and international talent will join Lucy Lawless in the New Zealand-based second season of Greenstone TV mystery series My Life Is Murder.
The second iteration sees the show shift from Melbourne to Auckland, and produced is for Tvnz, Acorn TV, and Dcd Rights, in association with Network 10.
Alexa Crowe (Lawless) finds herself back in her home country for the first time in years, and can’t help herself when she is asked to look into a bizarre unsolved murder.
Joined again by her partner-in-crime-solving, Madison Feliciano (Ebony Vagulans) as well as series newcomers, Harry (Rawiri Jobe), and café owner Reuben (Joe Naufahu), she quickly finds herself investigating other murder mysteries in surprising, glamorous worlds filled with characters who are hiding dangerous and deadly secrets.
A host of Lawless’ former castmates from Spartacus and Xena: Warrior Princess have been added to the cast, including Anna Hutchison,...
The second iteration sees the show shift from Melbourne to Auckland, and produced is for Tvnz, Acorn TV, and Dcd Rights, in association with Network 10.
Alexa Crowe (Lawless) finds herself back in her home country for the first time in years, and can’t help herself when she is asked to look into a bizarre unsolved murder.
Joined again by her partner-in-crime-solving, Madison Feliciano (Ebony Vagulans) as well as series newcomers, Harry (Rawiri Jobe), and café owner Reuben (Joe Naufahu), she quickly finds herself investigating other murder mysteries in surprising, glamorous worlds filled with characters who are hiding dangerous and deadly secrets.
A host of Lawless’ former castmates from Spartacus and Xena: Warrior Princess have been added to the cast, including Anna Hutchison,...
- 7/1/2021
- by Sean Slatter
- IF.com.au
Nz On Air and the New Zealand Film Commission are funding the development of 10 drama series ideas with international and domestic appeal.
The initiative, Raupapa Whakaari Drama to the World, will support each writer/producer team to develop high-end scripted series with an initial grant of Nz$10,000.
Each team will attend a series drama lab held in conjunction with Script to Screen, where international advisers will give feedback on story and market to assist the teams to further develop their concepts and strengthen appeal to the international marketplace.
Following the lab and submission of the re-worked projects, four teams will be selected to receive additional development funding of up to Nz$80,000.
Nzfc CEO Annabelle Sheehan said: “There really has never been a better time to tell stories than now, thanks to the global expansion of mega platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and now Disney with Disney+ and its takeover of Hulu this week.
The initiative, Raupapa Whakaari Drama to the World, will support each writer/producer team to develop high-end scripted series with an initial grant of Nz$10,000.
Each team will attend a series drama lab held in conjunction with Script to Screen, where international advisers will give feedback on story and market to assist the teams to further develop their concepts and strengthen appeal to the international marketplace.
Following the lab and submission of the re-worked projects, four teams will be selected to receive additional development funding of up to Nz$80,000.
Nzfc CEO Annabelle Sheehan said: “There really has never been a better time to tell stories than now, thanks to the global expansion of mega platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and now Disney with Disney+ and its takeover of Hulu this week.
- 5/16/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
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