Entente Cordiale

Whisper it quietly but Sky Atlantic & Canal+ are believed to have found their lead actors for their upcoming co-production The Tunnel / Le Tunnel, just weeks before filming is scheduled to begin. Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy have been cast in the 10-part series as the male and female leads. Dillane will play Karl Roebuck, the English detective assigned to the case, while Clémence Poésy will play Élise Wasserman, a French detective who is assigned to the investigation alongside Roebuck.

An adaptation of Scandinavian series The Bridge (Broen / Bron), The Tunnel / Le Tunnel is set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. When a prominent French politician is found dead on the border between the UK and France, the two detectives are sent to investigate on behalf of their respective countries. However, the case takes a surreal turn when a shocking discovery is made at the crime scene, forcing the French and British police into an uneasy partnership. As the serial killer uses ever more elaborate and ingenious methods to highlight the moral bankruptcy of modern society, Roebuck and Wasserman are drawn deeper into his increasingly personal agenda.

Stephen Dillane is currently a series regular on Game of Thrones as Stannis Baratheon, was previously a main cast member on Hunted and co-starred in miniseries John Adams and Secret State. Clémence Poésy’s previous credits include Bienvenue chez les Rozes, Le grand Meaulnes, Le dernier gang, Pièce montée, In Bruges, Gossip Girl and Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter feature film series. The talented Parisian is well-known to British audiences having recently starred as Isabelle Azaire in the BBC produced Birdsong and as Queen Isabella in adaptations of Shakespeare's tetralogy of history plays, The Hollow Crown.


Kudos Film & TV and Shine France are producing the 10 episode series, with Jane Featherstone, Karen Wilson, Manda Levin, Ben Richards, Anne Mensah, Fabrice de la Patellière, Lars Blomgren and Nora Melhli serving as executive producers. Dominic Moll is directing. In a first for broadcasting for the UK and France the production will be bilingual; with subtitles for viewers less than fluent in their neighbour country's language. Sky Atlantic’s push into original programming has been underpinned by a desire to have cinematic series headlined by big name actors. That was the approach with Hit and Miss, the channel’s serial about a transgender hit man, which was headlined by Academy Award winner Chloe Sevigny. Having the likes of Poésy and Dillane certainly fits in with that same desire and is sure to attract the awards, not to mention the viewers, that BSkyB are after.