No Return writer on Sheridan Smith: "One of the UK's finest actors"
No Return's Danny Brocklehurst speaks about casting the BAFTA-winning actress in his upcoming thriller.
Danny Brocklehurst has spoken about the importance of nailing the casting for his upcoming ITV drama No Return, declaring Sheridan Smith to be "one of the UK's finest actors".
The BAFTA-winning screenwriter, who previously wrote for Brassic, The Stranger and Shameless, is returning to ITV with his latest project No Return – a legal drama starring Smith as a mother whose life is turned on its head when her 16-year-old son is accused of sexual assault whilst on holiday in Turkey.
In a piece published in this week's edition of Radio Times magazine, Brocklehurst said that while he wanted the drama to be as truthful as possible, "all of this would have counted for nothing had we not got the casting right".
"Sheridan Smith is one of the UK's finest actors and I was lucky enough to work with her twice last year, as she also stars in my forthcoming feature film The Railway Children Return.
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"But finding the actor play her son was more challenging. Noah is a troubled boy who is thrown into hell and must become a man in order to survive – while the audience is never sure if he's telling the whole truth. That's quite an ask for a young actor."
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He added that he eventually cast 17-year-old Louis Ashbourne Serkis – the son of actors Lorraine Ashbourne and Andy Serkis – to play Noah.
"His stillness, his ability to say so much with his eyes, his incredibly intensity. Even now, watching his most powerful scenes, I'm blown away. He's a star in waiting," Brocklehurst said.
The upcoming ITV drama, which was described by Smith as "every parent's worst nightmare" begins on Monday 7th February, with the remaining three episodes airing weekly from then on. You can see the full No Return cast list here.
Read the full piece in this week's edition of Radio Times magazine.
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