Screenwriter Ed Sinclair has opened up about why he penned the dark lead role in brand new Sky drama Landscapers specifically for his wife, Academy Award winner Olivia Colman.
The four-part series is inspired by the true story of Susan and Christopher Edwards, who were found guilty of murdering her parents and burying them in their own back garden, with the crime going undetected for a period of 15 years.
Far from being a typical factual crime drama, Landscapers pays homage to classic cinema, stemming from the Edwards’ fascination with classic Hollywood memorabilia.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Sinclair revealed that he was originally driven to dream up a project for his wife after feeling she had been overlooked in an early dramatic performance.
“At the time I still had this burning injustice about a film Olivia did called Tyrannosaur, directed by Paddy Considine,” he explained. “It’s one of my favourite all-time films and she was incredible in it, everyone was incredible in it, Peter Mullan and Eddie Marsan and Paddy’s direction.”
Sinclair continued: “And so few people saw it really, a lot of people in the industry saw it, but so few out in the wide world saw it and that was the thing that made me think I’m going to have to write something brilliant for Olivia so that people can finally see how amazing she is. As it turns out, she didn’t need that leg up. But I was looking for projects and this one sort of fit.”
Indeed, by the time that Landscapers is finally seeing the light of day, the world has indeed realised Colman’s phenomenal talent as she has become one of the UK’s most famous faces.
In recent years, she has gained international prominence for acclaimed performances in The Favourite, The Father, and The Crown, which collectively have earned her trophies at the Emmys, Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Additional reporting by Abby Robinson.
Landscapers premieres on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Tuesday 7th December. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.