The official trailer for Netflix’s Alias Grace pretty much ensures that Margaret Atwood’s novels will be the new go-to source for TV series.
The six-part Netflix drama, which premieres on the streaming service Nov. 3, has its world premiere this weekend at the Toronto Film Festival. “Alias Grace” is the second Atwood novel to get a high-profile TV adaptation. Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” is nominated for multiple Emmy Awards.
Sarah Polley adapted “Alias Grace” from Atwood’s 1996 crime novel, which is based on a true story. Mary Harron directs.
Canadian actress Sarah Gadon stars as Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant and servant in 1843 Canada who, along with stable had James McDermott (Kerr Logan), was convicted of killing their employer Thomas Kinnear (Paul Gross), and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin).
In the trailer, we see Dr. Simon Jordan (Edward Holcroft) meet Grace more than a decade after her confinement for the crime. She still claims her innocence, but says she has no memory of it.
“It’s strange to reflect that of all the people living in that house, I was the only one of them left alive within six months time,” Grace tells the doctor.
Later, the doctor tells a colleague, “She could be a true amnesiac, or simply guilty.”
Grace talks throughout the rest of the clip, and what she says paints a pretty convincing picture that she is guilty—or mad.
Hulu subscribers might recognize Gadon from her role in “11.22.63,” which was based on a Stephen King novel. The miniseries followed a high school teacher (James Franco) who travels back in time to prevent John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Gadon played Sadie Dunhill, the teachers love interest in 1963.
Holcroft starred in one of my favorite series from 2016, “London Spy,” as a guarded spy who seems to fall in love with a London party boy (Ben Whishaw) just before tragedy separates them. He also played George Boleyn in “Wolf Hall” and stars in the “Kingsman” movies.
“Alias Grace” also stars Zachary Levi, Stephen Joffe and Rebecca Levi.