It’s been almost a year since HBO announced The Nevers, a new sci-fi series created by Joss Whedon. But now, the network has revealed the show’s first bit of casting. Deadline brings word that Laura Donnelly will headline the series as a character named Amalia True.
Donnelly had a recurring role on the first three seasons of Starz’s Outlander as Jenny Fraser. She also co-starred in the ITV miniseries Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands and will next appear in this summer’s Tolkein. Additionally, Donnelly has been recognized for her stage work. In 2018, she won Best Actress at the Olivier Awards for starring in a production of Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman, which was directed by Sam Mendes.
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The Nevers marks Whedon’s first original TV project since Dollhouse, which aired one season on Fox during the 2009-2010 season. He shares writing duties on the new series with former Buffy the Vampire Slayer collaborators Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie. Set in Victorian England, The Nevers follows a group of women who develop strange abilities and find themselves entangled in a mission with potentially world-changing consequences. According to the report, Amalia is “the most reckless, impulsive, emotionally damaged hero of her time. A menace to stuffy Victorian society, she would die for the cause and kill for a drink.”
Whedon himself chimed in with his thoughts on Donnelly’s acting ability. “Laura Donnelly has charisma, wisdom and an anarchic precision that not only captures Amalia but defines her,” he said. “She’s fierce and she’s funny – and I need both for the journey ahead.”
The Nevers is still without a premiere date. What are your thoughts on Laura Donnelly joining the series? Let us know in the comment section below!
