Joy is a Netflix movie that dramatizes the real-life, 10-year battle to make IVF possible for infertile couples, culminating in the birth of the world’s first ‘test-tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown in 1978.
This emotional one-off drama stars Jojo Rabbit’s Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy, a young nurse and embryologist who helped unlock the puzzle of infertility and bring hope to millions of childless people in the future. James Norton also stars as scientist Robert Edwards and Bill Nighy is surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who both joined forces with Jean and overcame tremendous odds to turn the pioneering concept into reality.
Here’s everything you need to know about the powerful movie Joy on Netflix…
Joy release date
Joy will be shown in select UK cinemas from Friday November 15 2024, then launch worldwide on Netflix from Friday November 22 2024.
Is there a trailer for Joy?
Yes Netflix has now released an official trailer and a first look teaser trailer for Joy, which takes us back over 50 years to when the pioneering IVF research was started.. Take a look below...
What is the plot of Joy?
Joy follows maverick visionaries Jean Purdy, a nurse and embryologist, scientist Robert Edwards and surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who teamed up to develop the process of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) which would allow infertile people to have babies. It shows their 10-year battle against huge odds and opposition and how their perseverance eventually paid off, resulting in the birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978.
It all starts in 1968 as Robert Edwards is carrying out fertility research on rodents to create embryos outside the body, which he hopes may eventually help people who are struggling to conceive.
After he recruits eager young nurse Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie) to join his team, the pair collaborate with acclaimed obstetrician Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy), whose skills can be used to extract eggs from women’s ovaries. The trio then set up a research facility in a disused wing of Oldham General Hospital and conduct medical trials in a bid to achieve a successful pregnancy. But initially things prove unsuccessful and they also fail to secure funding from the Medical Research Council. Meanwhile their work receives a hostile reception from the public, press, the church and fellow scientists, who feel they are ‘playing God’. Their medical breakthrough comes, however, when, in 1978, Lesley Brown (Ella Brucolleri), one of the women on their programme, becomes pregnant via IVF and gives birth to the first ever ‘test-tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown.
Joy cast — Thomasin McKenzie on playing Jean Purdy
Thomasin McKenzie plays nurse Jean Purdy in Joy. While Robert and Patrick were both widely acclaimed for their incredible achievements, the drama brings Jean’s often overlooked contribution as the world’s first embryologist to the forefront. "Acknowledging her contribution is a significant part of why this story matters so much," explains Thomasin. "This is something that has had an impact on millions of people and I hope we’ve done it justice."
* Thomasin McKenzie started her career playing Astrid in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and went on to star as Elsa in the movie Jojo Rabbit. She’s also been in Totally Completely Fine, Life After Life, Eileen, The Power of the Dog, Last Night in Soho and Lost Girls.
James Norton on playing Robert Edwards
James Norton plays scientist Robert Edwards. He says: ‘It is a celebration of good people. When I read the script I burst into tears. It’s unfathomable how much joy this scientific advancement has brought."
* James Norton previously played killer Tommy Lee Royce in the gripping BBC1 crime drama Happy Valley and Alex Godman in McMafia. James has also starred in Little Women, Mr Jones, The Nevers, The Trial of Christine Keeler, Grantchester and Lady Chatterley’s Lover.
Bill Nighy on playing Patrick Steptoe
Bill Nighy plays surgeon Patrick Steptoe. He says: "These individuals faced a decade of relentless adversity, sticking to their principles despite widespread opposition. Their perseverance is truly commendable."
* Bill Nighy has had an incredible career, starring in hit movies such as Love Actually, Their Finest, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Constant Gardener, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pride and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. He will also star in the upcoming movies Dragonkeeper, The First Omen and The Beautiful Game.
Interview with Joy writer Jack Thorne and producer Rachel Mason
Married couple, Jack Thorne and Rachel Mason, the writer and producer behind Joy, used IVF to have their son Eliiot. At a Netflix event they explained more about their movie Joy...
Jack says: "It's the most extraordinary story and I think when people think about scientific innovations, they have a vision of how it's done. You know, it's in a lab with lots of people in white coats and it generally, Oxford, this story is entirely different from that.
"It's set between 1968 to 1978 and it's a story of three people who worked together despite the whole world being against them to try and bring up the story of infertility. And we tell the story of the three of them. There's Robert Edwards, who's a scientist, Jean Purdy who works with him and who has never been given the credit for this that she deserves and hopefully this film resets that slightly. And Patrick Steptoe, who's the surgeon and they don't get any support from the Medical Research Council. They get abused in the press, they get abused by other people and they fight on, and it eventually results in the birth of Louise Joy Brown."
Rachel Mason adds: "We went through IVF so for us it's really personal. It's a journey that we went through and you know, one in six people are affected by infertility and people don't realise it was pioneered here. But I think it's that mix of it being very personal and people don't realise the trio that were involved, it was their perseverance. The Church was against them and back then it was really difficult. And also Jean mhas not been recognised, so it's such an important story and 12 million babies have been born through IVF, so yes, life changing.
"I very much liked Jack and I working together, which is different for us. I love it. So I was approached to do the film and we've never worked together, but obviously having been through IVF I was like, yes, I'd love to get involved and I collaborated on the story and then Jack wrote the script. But also, I run a support group through a charity. So it's very much of my world, so I wanted to get involved."
Jack adds: "Infertility is not seen by some. The reason why this was such a fight is because infertility wasn't taken seriously by the medical community and in lots of ways it still isn't, it's still very difficult. And you know, we've got Alabama at the moment that's saying that IVF cannot be performed there. And it's something that needs telling and needs celebrating and it was just amazing to work together."
The real story behind the IVF birth of Louise Joy Brown in 1978
Louise Brown was the first child born via IVF and was dubbed the ‘world’s first test-tube baby’. IVF is where fertilisation takes place outside the body. Louise was born to Lesley and John Brown on July 25 1978, who had been trying to conceive for 10 years, and was given the middle name Joy by surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who delivered her by caesarean section. Louise is now an IVF ambassador, novelist and keynote speaker who hails the process as ‘the most remarkable medical breakthrough of the 20th century’.
