Anatomy Of A Scandal is based on the bestselling book by Sarah Vaughan and takes a thrilling look at a scandal that rocks the corridors of British power. Now a major Netflix series launching in April 2022, Anatomy Of A Scandal stars Rupert Friend (Homeland) as James Whitehouse, a British MP who is accused of a terrible crime.
The thriller is created, written and executive produced by David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies, Goliath) and delves into the murky secrets so easily concealed behind power and privilege. Sienna Miller is James’ wife Sophie who is determined to keep her family together, no matter what, while Downton Abbey star Michelle Dockery is barrister Kate Woodcroft who's hellbent on bringing James to justice.
“I was a huge fan of the book and my character Sophie,” says Sienna. “She is multi-faceted and facing the consequences of the decisions she has made in her life of privilege, that are catching up with her. I loved the arc and journey she embarks on and was thrilled to be part of such a talented cast and crew.”
So here's everything you need to know about Netflix thriller Anatomy Of A Scandal...
Anatomy Of A Scandal release date
Anatomy Of A Scandal is a six-part thriller that arrives as a box set on Netflix in the UK, US and around the world from Friday April 15 2022.
Is there a trailer for Anatomy Of A Scandal?
Yes a trailer for Anatomy Of A Scandal has been launched by Netflix, and this drama looks every bit as intense as we'd hoped. Take a look below
Anatomy of a Scandal plot
Anatomy Of A Scandal is a six-part thriller that focuses on a Westminster scandal as seen through the courts. Rupert Friend plays James Whitehouse, a charming and ambitious junior minister who is accused of rape.
The accusation puts his promising career and high-profile marriage in jeopardy but his wife Sophie (Sienna Miller) is convinced her husband is innocent and vows to protect her family from the fallout of the scandal. However, she knows James has secrets that could tear their family apart. Prosecution barrister Kate Woodcroft (Michelle Dockery), on the other hand, is convinced of James’ guilt and is equally determined to see him pay for his crime.
She too has lofty ambitions and hopes this case will fast-track her career. The case sees the two women at the center of a shocking scandal that threatens to derail not just a marriage but the balance of power as well.
Anatomy of a Scandal cast — Rupert Friend on playing James Whitehouse
Anatomy Of A Scandal star Rupert Friend plays MP James who is accused of a serious sexual crime.
“My immediate thought was, ‘Who wants to play the alleged rapist?’” he recalls. “But, then, I met with the director, S.J.Clarkson.”
During that meeting, he says, S.J. convinced him her drama would be about much more than an alleged sexual assault. “Yes, it was about the nuances of consent but there was another scandal at the heart of the story which revolved around class, entitlement and cronyism,” says Rupert. “James is from a world of privilege and an elite who refuses to be culpable for their actions. He doesn’t think he’s ever done anything wrong, let alone the crime he’s accused of. So, the challenge was not to play a rapist, but someone who thinks he isnot. And that immediately made him interesting to me.”
Rupert is best known for playing Peter Quinn in the hit US spy series Homeland from 2012 to 2017. He’s also appeared in Pride and Prejudice, The Young Victoria, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The French Dispatch. Rupert is also about to star in the new Disney Plus TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi, due out on May 27 2022.
Sienna Miller on playing Sophie Whitehouse
In Anatomy Of A Scandal, Sienna Miller plays Sophie, a devoted wife and mother desperate to cling onto her gilded life.
Sienna says: "Sophie and I are very different people and our reactions are not the same," says Sienna. "But Sophie was dealing with things in her life I’ve also dealt with in mine, so it was always going to feel personal.
“I did think, ‘Do I really want to relive these experiences?’ But, at the same time, I’m drawn to the things I know and have explored in my own life and I also love characters who go on a journey and have an awakening. Sophie moves from a woman who is preserving her perfect, privileged life by refusing to see what’s in front of her, to one who will sacrifice everything for the truth. I loved who she was by the end.”
Sienna made her acting breakthrough back in 2004 when she starred in the movies Layer Cake and Alfie, alongside Jude Law who she later became engaged to. She played socialite Edie Sedgewick in Factory Girl two years later and starred in The Edge Of Love. She took on the role of acting legend Tippi Hedren in The Girl and has also been in Foxcatcher, American Sniper, Mississippi Grind, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and American Woman.
Michelle Dockery on playing barrister Kate Woodcroft
She may be playing hotshot barrister Kate in Anatomy Of A Scandal, but to many Michelle will always be Lady Mary Crawley in the hit series Downton Abbey.
“It’s a proper grown-up role in Anatomy Of A Scandal,” Michelle laughs. “I even get to wear a pair of glasses!
“I’ve never had a part that required so much preparation and so many huge scenes. In one, Rupert and I — me as the prosecuting barrister and he as the defendant, James Whitehouse — had a courtroom exchange that was 38 pages long. Apart from learning the lines, I had to get into a barrister’s headspace, never losing concentration for a second, always anticipating the next line of attack. And all the while you’re also aware that you’re delivering a kind of performance in that courtroom, for the jury. It’s an incredible amount of juggling.”
Michelle has also starred in Defending Jacob, Godless and the series Good Behavior, plus roles in Waking The Dead, the film Hanna and Cranford.
Who else is starring in Anatomy Of A Scandal?
Other stars in Anatomy Of A Scandal is Naomi Scott, from Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels, who'll play Olivia Lytton, a parliamentary researcher who accuses James of raping her. Josette Simon (The Witches), Geoffrey Streatfeild plays Tom Southern, Joshua McGuire is Chris Clarke, Liz White is Ali Conlon, Nancy Farino is Holly, while Hannah Dodd is young Sophie and Ben Radcliffe is young James. Also look out for Jake Simmance (young Tom), Annie Haworth (young Alison), Amelie Bea-Smith (Emily Whitehouse) and Sebastian Selwood (Finn Whitehouse).
