Netflix political thriller Anatomy of a Scandal, which is based on Sarah Vaughan’s best-selling book of the same name, is a six-part series that details the inner lives and lies of Britain’s political elite, and what happens to their perfect world when scandal erupts.
Doubling up as courtroom and marital drama, this series comes from the creator of Big Little Lies, David E Kelly, and is set in the shady world of Westminster politics.
Sienna Miller stars as Sophie Whitehouse, the dutiful wife of an MP whose life and marriage are thrown into the spotlight when her husband is accused of a terrible crime.
Read on for everything you need to know about Miller and the rest of the cast ahead of the show’s debut.
Sienna Miller plays Sophie Whitehouse
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Who is Sophie Whitehouse?
Sophie is an Oxford graduate, mother of two, and the wife of an ambitious junior minister. Her blissful marriage and charming life are quiet, until her husband is accused of sexual assault and the illusion shatters. With the world imploding around her, Sophie is desperate to cling onto her perfect life, yet must suddenly navigate the shame and judgement of the court of public opinion all the while searching for the truth.
What else has Sienna Miller been in?
Miller’s first acting breakthrough came in 2004, after she took on roles in British crime film Layer Cake and comedy-drama Alfie. Since then, she has gone on to appear in Stardust, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and Foxcatcher. She also starred in 2015 war drama American Sniper and has played iconic actress Tippi Hedren in The Girl.
Young Sophie is played by Hannah Dodd, who has appeared in Find Me in Paris and Harlots.
Michelle Dockery plays Kate Woodcroft
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Who is Kate Woodcroft?
Kate Woodcroft, QC, is a hotshot criminal barrister who specialises in sexual assault crimes. With a steely demeanour and an unshakable sense of justice, she is excited to be handed the most high-profile case of her career. When the case opens, Kate begins a cut-throat prosecution which threatens to tear Westminster, and the Whitehouses, apart.
What else has Michelle Dockery been in?
Dockery is best known for her five years as Lady Mary Crawley in the much-loved period drama Downton Abbey. She will soon appear again in the upcoming film Downton Abbey: A New Era. She has also starred in a number of American dramas including Defending Jacob, Good Behaviour and Godless, and has recently finished filming the dystopian action film Boy Kills World.
Rupert Friend plays James Whitehouse
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Who is James Whitehouse?
He may be charismatic and ambitious to start, but when junior minister James Whitehouse is accused of sexually assaulting his aide, he soon finds his marriage and his career being undone. As a graduate of Oxford and Eton, James has lived a life of privilege that has helped him all the way into parliament and the exclusive ‘Libertine Club’. With all that wealth and support behind him, it’s up to the prosecution to see if he is truly guilty.
What else has Rupert Friend been in?
Friend has taken on many high-profile parts such as the infamous Mr Wickham in the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice and Prince Albert in 2009’s Young Victoria, alongside Emily Blunt. He has also appeared in The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, The Death of Stalin, and The French Dispatch. His biggest TV role was as Peter Quinn in US espionage thriller Homeland.
Young James is played by Ben Radcliffe, who has appeared in Pandora and The Evermoor Chronicles.
Naomi Scott plays Olivia Lytton
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Who is Olivia Lytton?
Olivia is a young, high-achieving parliamentary researcher, whose life changes forever when she begins an affair with James Whitehouse. Yet after a non-consensual encounter with him, she is left reeling and confused at what to do. She decides to tell her story but worries about the consequences for her career and the trauma of having to relive the incident on the stand.
What else has Naomi Scott been in?
Naomi Scott rose to stardom after her performance as Princess Jasmine in the 2019 live-action remake of Aladdin. Before then she appeared in Disney TV movie Lemonade Mouth and the Power Rangers movie. She has since been in Charlie’s Angels and will soon be working on Aladdin 2 and the TV series Modern Love Tokyo.
Josette Simon plays Angela Regan
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Who is Angela Regan?
Opposite Kate Woodhouse is irreverent defence barrister Angela Regan, who is determined to see James Whitehouse cleared of his crimes. She finds the pomp of the courtroom hard to take seriously, but also has her mind set on only one goal: winning. Her feelings towards the case don’t matter as she sets out to get James off, no matter what.
What else has Josette Simon been in?
Simon has taken on film roles in the 2020 adaptation of The Witches and Wonder Woman. On TV she has appeared in the likes of The Witcher, Small Axe and The Girlfriend Experience. She also played Cleopatra in a live RSC performance of Anthony and Cleopatra.
Joshua McGuire plays Chris Clarke and Geoffrey Streatfeild plays Tom Southern
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Who is Chris Clarke? Chris Clarke is the slimy Downing Street communications chief who is concerned that the Prime Minister’s refusal to distance himself from James will jeopardise his standing among his colleagues and the public.
What else has Joshua McGuire been in? Joshua McGuire has appeared in Cheaters, Industry and Lovesick, among others.
Who is Tom Southern? Tom Southern is the Prime Minister and a personal friend of James’, who chooses to publicly support him following the rape allegation. The pair attended Oxford University together.
What else has Geoffrey Streatfeild been in? Geoffrey Streatfeild’s CV includes Life, The Miniaturist, The Thick of It and Spooks.
Anatomy of a Scandal is streaming on Netflix from Friday 15th April. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what else is on tonight.
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