Latest news with #PiecesofHer
Wales Online
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Fake cast in full as Australian drama arrives on ITV and it includes Nicole Kidman's co-star
Fake cast in full as Australian drama arrives on ITV and it includes Nicole Kidman's co-star Fake is a new eight-part series that is set to air on ITV1 tonight, May 3, and is already available to stream on ITVX. A brand new eight-part series, Fake, is set to premiere on ITV1, and it's already receiving rave reviews from fans. Despite its somewhat misleading title, the scam thriller is actually based on a true story penned by Stephanie Wood, who recounts her own distressing experiences. Fake will debut tonight, May 3, and is already available for streaming on ITVX. The plot follows a young woman who begins to doubt her boyfriend. Despite her initial concerns, she convinces herself that she might be too picky about men, against her better judgment. "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who believes she's found her ideal partner when she encounters successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her) on a dating app. However, as their relationship deepens, Birdie finds herself torn between Joe's captivating charm and the suspicion that her boyfriend isn't quite what he appears to be," the synopsis reveals. Stephanie Wood, the author of the real-life memoir, shared: "Fake is a true story about a traumatic relationship I had with a con artist... I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer, and property developer. He seemed compassionate and decent and appeared to share my values. He led me to believe we might have a future together." Article continues below Birdie Bell played by Asher Keddie Birdie starts to doubt her boyfriend Birdie Bell, a journalist seeking to spice up her romantic life, is encouraged by her somewhat assertive mother to find a companion to share her life with. She encounters Joe on a dating app and initially contemplates running for the hills, but those she cherishes convince her otherwise, despite her doubts and her instincts telling her to escape. Asher is a renowned Australian actress who rose to prominence in 2004 in the lead role of Love My Way. Her other notable roles include her performance in the ABC1-praised series The Cry in 2019 and the six-part series Stateless, alongside Australian actress Cate Blanchett in 2020. In 2021, she secured the role of Heather Marconi in the Nicole Kidman-led Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers, acting alongside Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving, and Bobby Cannavale. "Birdie is a really wonderful, smart, kind-hearted human, Asher said about her character: " Asher said about her character: "Her mother has convinced her that she will meet the prince. She wants to fulfil her mother's dream for her," she commented, discussing her character Birdie on the show. Joe Burt played by David Wenham Joe is Birdie's new boyfriend (Image: ITV ) A divorced architect turned property investor appears to have everything in his favour, including a beautiful riverfront home with his two children in a countryside setting. He will stop at nothing to increase his wealth, making substantial deals in property, solar, and wind-farming ventures. David Wenham, a leading figure in the entertainment industry, is celebrated as an Australian actor notable for his role as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. His portfolio also includes playing Friar Carl in Van Helsing and Van Helsing: The London Assignment, portraying Dilios in 300, and taking on the character Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Reflecting on his character, the actor shared: "Joe Burt, yeah, he's a fascinating character. I don't perceive Joe as being a malevolent person, there's nothing to gain financially by what he does. He's by no doubt a fantasist, fabulist, it's an addiction." Margeaux Bell played by Heather Mitchell Margeaux plays the mother of Birdie Meanwhile, Birdie's mother holds firm views on love; she embodies strength and always presents herself impeccably. Margeaux's path in love greatly differs from her daughter Birdie's, having met her spouse in her younger years and remaining married until his passing. Though she urges Birdie to push past obstacles in current romances, she recalls giving contrasting advice in the past, believing she had prompted Birdie to prioritise career ambitions over romantic pursuits. Heather Lee Mitchell commands recognition as an esteemed Australian actress, widely acknowledged for her starring role in the popular 1990s TV series Spellbinder. She recently played Anita in the television series Love Me and has secured a part in the upcoming miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Anton played by Nicolas Brown Anton is Birdie's best friend and ex-lover Anton, who shares a romantic history with Birdie and maintains a deep friendship with her, is engaged to Tovey. This engagement follows when Birdie and Anton are romantically linked before Anton discovers his attraction to men. She holds him dear and is the godmother to his eight-year-old daughter, Rory. Nicolas gained fame from the popular Australian series Home and Away and featured in Heartbreak High and Drama School. In 2022, he played Rahul in Joe vs. Carole, an American drama series crafted by Etan Frankel that tells the tale of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. He also played Hamish in the Netflix film A Perfect Pairing. Tovey played by Spencer McLaren Tovey is Anton's husband-to-be and good friend to Birdie Tovey proves to be another dear friend of Birdie's, despite Anton ending things with her to be with Tovey. Instead of not liking one another, they quickly began to trust and love one another as friends. Spencer has appeared on shows such as Home and Away as Kieran Fletcher and the British soap Family Affairs as Brett Owen. Article continues below Other claims to fame include voice work in Doctor Who and Scaredy Cat. In 2016, he appeared in the ABC3 hit Tomorrow When The War Began. All episodes of Fake will be available to stream exclusively on ITVX from Sunday 20th April. The series will also air weekly on Saturday nights on ITV1 from Saturday 26th April.
Daily Record
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
ITV's Fake cast in full from famous soap stars to Doctor Who actor
Fake is a new ITV show that is set to be a thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat A brand new eight-part series, Fake, is set to premiere on ITV1, and it's already generating buzz among fans. Despite its somewhat misleading title, the scam thriller is actually based on a true story written by Stephanie Wood, who shared her own haunting real-life experiences. Fake will air tonight, May 3, and is already available to stream on ITVX. The story follows a young woman who becomes increasingly uncertain about her boyfriend. After expressing her concerns, she is convinced she may be too picky regarding men, despite her better judgment. "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her) on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe," reads the synopsis, reports Daily Express. Stephanie Wood, author of the real-life memoir, shared: "Fake is a true story about a traumatic relationship I had with a con artist... I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer, and property developer. He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together." Birdie Bell played by Asher Keddie Birdie Bell Birdie Bell, a journalist eager to spice up her romantic life, is encouraged by her somewhat overbearing mother to find a partner to share her life with. She encounters Joe on a dating app and initially contemplates running for the hills, but is convinced to stay by those she trusts, despite her instincts telling her otherwise. Asher is a renowned Australian actress who rose to prominence in 2004 with her lead role in Love My Way. She also gained recognition for her part in the ABC1-praised series The Cry in 2019 and the six-part series Stateless, where she starred alongside fellow Australian actress Cate Blanchett in 2020. In 2021, she secured the role of Heather Marconi in the Nicole Kidman-led Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers, sharing the screen with Melissa McCarthy, Samara Weaving, and Bobby Cannavale. "Birdie is a really wonderful, smart, kind-hearted human, Asher said about her character: " Asher said about her character: "Her mother has convinced her that she will meet the prince. She wants to fulfil her mother's dream for her," she added, discussing her character Birdie on the show. Joe Burt, portrayed by David Wenham A divorced architect turned property investor appears to have everything, including a beautiful riverfront home with his two children in a countryside setting. He is relentless in pursuing wealth, making significant investments in property, solar, and wind-farming deals. David Wenham is a highly acclaimed figure in film and television, renowned for portraying Faramir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His extensive filmography also includes roles as Friar Carl in both Van Helsing and its spin-off Van Helsing: The London Assignment, Dilios in the action-packed 300, and a memorable stint as Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. In a commentary about his character, Wenham remarks: "Joe Burt, yeah, he's a fascinating character. I don't perceive Joe as being a malevolent person, there's nothing to gain financially by what he does. He's by no doubt a fantasist, fabulist, it's an addiction." Heather Mitchell brings to life the character of Margeaux Bell As Birdie's mother, Margeaux commands a unique perspective on romance, one rooted in strength and perpetually impeccable style. Her personal experience with love starkly contrasts that of her daughter Birdie, who found her husband at a young age and remained married until his passing. While Margeaux advises Birdie to challenge her own views on romance, she cherishes memories of nudging Birdie toward prioritising her career over romantic entanglements. Australian actress Heather Lee Mitchell boasts a storied career, highlighted by her starring role in the hit 1990s television series Spellbinder. She most recently appeared as Anita in the series Love Me and is part of the cast for the upcoming miniseries The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Nicolas Brown is set to play the role of Anton Anton, who once shared a romantic relationship with Birdie and remains one of her closest confidants, is now engaged to Tovey. Birdie and Anton were a couple before Anton discovered his attraction to men. Birdie holds him dear and is the godmother to his eight-year-old daughter, Rory. Nicolas, known for his role in the popular Australian series Home and Away, also featured in Heartbreak High and Drama School. In 2022, he portrayed Rahul in Joe vs. Carole, an American drama series by Etan Frankel based on the saga of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin. He also starred as Hamish in the Netflix film A Perfect Pairing. Tovey, played by Spencer McLaren Despite Anton ending his relationship with Birdie to be with Tovey, Tovey has become another cherished friend of Birdie's. Rather than harbouring resentment, they quickly developed a bond of trust and friendship. Spencer has had roles in shows such as Home and Away as Kieran Fletcher and the British soap Family Affairs as Brett Owen. His other notable works include voice acting in Doctor Who and Scaredy Cat. 2016 he appeared in the ABC3 hit Tomorrow When The War Began. All episodes of Fake will be available to stream exclusively on ITVX from Sunday 20th April. The series will also air weekly on Saturday nights on ITV1 from Saturday 26th April.
Edinburgh Live
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV viewers 'hooked' on new 'must-watch masterpiece' thriller based on true story
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info ITV has quietly unleashed an incredible new thriller - and the eight-part series is already receiving glowing reviews from viewers. Titled Fake, this Australian masterpiece is being hailed as a "romance-scam thriller" and centres on a young woman who starts to suspect that her charming new partner isn't quite what he seems. The show made its debut on ITVX on April 27 and is set to take over Saturday nights starting from May 3, quickly becoming a hit and even setting records as Paramount+'s most successful release in Australia after its premiere. The official synopsis reads: "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her), on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe." Commenting on the acquisition, ITV's Head of Content Acquisitions Sasha Brelau expressed excitement: "We've got a great track record with Australian drama on ITVX, Anya Beyersdorf's work on The Twelve is a shining example of how well it resonates with our audiences, so we're really looking forward to bringing her newest offering Fake to the UK in 2025. It's a gripping thriller, made for binge watching," reports the Mirror. Despite what the name might suggest, Fake is actually rooted in reality. The series is an adaptation of Stephanie Wood's memoir, which details her own harrowing experience. A woman has revealed her harrowing ordeal with a man she calls a con artist after meeting him on a dating app, stating: "I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer and property developer. He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together." She added that his "But his increasingly erratic behaviour, his constant cancellations and contradictory stories, left me in a state of high anxiety and self-doubt. Eventually, for the sake of my mental health, I ended the relationship. I am a journalist and that's when I started to investigate him." It became so detrimental to her well-being that she decided to end the relationship for her mental health, later delving into an investigation as a journalist. Her inquiries revealed more alarming truths as she explained: "I did title deed and bankruptcy searches and spoke to people who knew him. I discovered he had been with another woman for the duration of our relationship, had a criminal record, was bankrupt, and had left a trail of grief and broken relationships behind him." The woman hopes others can draw strength from her experience, sharing, "For anyone who has been in one of these relationships, I hope that Birdie's story will comfort them, help them realise that they were not foolish and that these type of abusers are clever manipulators. I would like them to feel less alone." The tale has sparked reactions on social media, with viewers feeling seen and understood. One viewer expressed their gratitude, posting: "I'm beyond grateful for the portrayal as it helps with me knowing that behaviour is not my fault and I didn't ask for that to happen to me." Other fans also shared their enthusiasm, with one saying: "It was hard not to binge the whole series in a sitting. Had us hooked from the start and it's been so good to see a quality Australian production again." Another agreed, adding: "This is a must watch. I wasn't a fan of either main actors but I love a bit of Australian production, Fake does not disappoint."
Edinburgh Live
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
ITV viewers obsessed with new 'must-watch' thriller based on true story
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info ITV has quietly unleashed an incredible new thriller, and the eight-part series is already receiving glowing reviews from viewers. Titled Fake, this Australian masterpiece is being hailed as a "romance-scam thriller" and centres on a young woman who starts to suspect that her charming new partner isn't quite what he seems. The show made its debut on ITVX on 27th April and is set to take over Saturday nights starting 3rd May, quickly becoming a hit with audiences and even setting records as Paramount+'s most successful release in Australia after its premiere. The official synopsis reads: "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her), on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe." (Image: ITV) Commenting on the series, ITV's Head of Content Acquisitions Sasha Brelau expressed excitement: "We've got a great track record with Australian drama on ITVX, Anya Beyersdorf's work on The Twelve is a shining example of how well it resonates with our audiences, so we're really looking forward to bringing her newest offering Fake to the UK in 2025. It's a gripping thriller, made for binge watching", reports the Mirror. Despite what its name might suggest, Fake is actually rooted in reality. The television series is an adaptation of Stephanie Wood's memoir, which details her own harrowing experience. A woman has recounted a harrowing tale of her 15-month relationship with a man she dubbed a con artist, beginning with an online meeting on a dating app. "I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer and property developer. "He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together," she revealed. The relationship, however, spiralled as his behaviour grew increasingly inconsistent. (Image: ITV) "But his increasingly erratic behaviour, his constant cancellations and contradictory stories, left me in a state of high anxiety and self-doubt. Eventually, for the sake of my mental health, I ended the relationship. I am a journalist and that's when I started to investigate him." Her investigation unearthed shocking findings about the man's past. "I did title deed and bankruptcy searches and spoke to people who knew him. I discovered he had been with another woman for the duration of our relationship, had a criminal record, was bankrupt, and had left a trail of grief and broken relationships behind him." The journalist hopes sharing her experience will provide solace and understanding to others who've faced similar abuse. She added: "For anyone who has been in one of these relationships, I hope that Birdie's story will comfort them, help them realise that they were not foolish and that these type of abusers are clever manipulators. I would like them to feel less alone." (Image: ITV) Meanwhile, viewers of a show that featured her story are finding connection and healing. Following an airing, a viewer expressed their gratitude on social media: "I'm beyond grateful for the portrayal as it helps with me knowing that behaviour is not my fault and I didn't ask for that to happen to me." One viewer commented: "It was hard not to binge the whole series in a sitting. Had us hooked from the start and it's been so good to see a quality Australian production again". Another added: "This is a must watch. I wasn't a fan of either main actors but I love a bit of Australian production, Fake does not disappoint." Fake is available to stream on ITVX.
Daily Mirror
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV viewers already obsessed with new ‘must-watch' thriller based on a true story
ITV has quietly released an incredible new thriller and viewers can't get enough of it ITV has subtly dropped an incredible new thriller, and the eight-part series has been met with rave reviews from viewers. Fake is an Aussie gem that's been dubbed a "romance-scam thriller", revolving around a young woman who suspects there's something off about her new beau. The show, which landed on ITVX on 27th April and is slated to air on Saturday nights starting from 3rd May, has received a warm welcome, even smashing records as Paramount+'s biggest release in Australia following its initial launch. The synopsis reveals: "The series stars Asher Keddie (Nine Perfect Strangers) as Birdie Bell, a magazine features writer who thinks she's found her perfect match when she meets successful rancher Joe (David Wenham, Pieces of Her), on a dating app. But as the relationship intensifies, Birdie is torn between Joe's magnetic pull and the instinct that her boyfriend isn't all he has led her to believe." Speaking about the show, ITV's Head of Content Acquisitions Sasha Brelau said: "We've got a great track record with Australian drama on ITVX, Anya Beyersdorf's work on The Twelve is a shining example of how well it resonates with our audiences, so we're really looking forward to bringing her newest offering Fake to the UK in 2025. It's a gripping thriller, made for binge watching." Contrary to its title, Fake is actually based on a true story. The TV show is an adaptation of the memoir by Stephanie Wood, who opened up about her personal experience. She shared her experience of a distressing relationship with a con artist, saying: "I met Joe through an online dating app and spent 15 months with him. He told me he was a former architect, farmer and property developer. He seemed to be compassionate and decent and to share my values. He led me to think we might have a future together. "But his increasingly erratic behaviour, his constant cancellations and contradictory stories, left me in a state of high anxiety and self-doubt. Eventually, for the sake of my mental health, I ended the relationship. I am a journalist and that's when I started to investigate him. "I did title deed and bankruptcy searches and spoke to people who knew him. I discovered he had been with another woman for the duration of our relationship, had a criminal record, was bankrupt, and had left a trail of grief and broken relationships behind him." She continued: "For anyone who has been in one of these relationships, I hope that Birdie's story will comfort them, help them realise that they were not foolish and that these type of abusers are clever manipulators. I would like them to feel less alone." Viewers have taken to social media to discuss the show, with one fan posting: "I'm beyond grateful for the portrayal as it helps with me knowing that behaviour is not my fault and I didn't ask for that to happen to me." Another viewer chimed in: "It was hard not to binge the whole series in a sitting. Had us hooked from the start and it's been so good to see a quality Australian production again" While another chimed in: "This is a must watch. I wasn't a fan of either main actors but I love a bit of Australian production, Fake does not disappoint." Fake is available to stream on ITVX.
