Nicola Coughlan explores toxic masculinity in gritty Florence Pugh-approved drama
· IrishCentralThe "Bridgerton" star is said to have helped develop the series, where she will share the screen with "Peaky Blinders" actor Joe Cole. The pair play a couple tackling the difficult topic of toxic masculinity.
The trailer of "I Am Helen" shows Nicola and Joe's characters in a heated row, as they appear to be at breaking point. She breaks down, wondering where things went wrong, while he is being told that he is being "made out to be the bad guy."
I Am Helen is the creation of BAFTA-winning filmmaker Dominic Savage. Nicola follows on from heavy hitters such as Kate Winslet, Letitia Wright, Lesley Manville, and Samantha Morton, who have fronted the show in the past.
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The Channel 4 show is particularly topical at the moment, as it is set to delve deeper into "the manosphere" from the female perspective.
Fans flocked to the trailer to praise the sneak peek, with Hollywood star Florence Pugh leading the way.
"Wow… this looks f**king incredible. Both of you are," the "Little Women" actress penned, while another person added: "The power in these performances from the trailer alone is enough to understand the impact this will have, incredible."
The drama "explores the experience of womanhood within a world shaped by masculine power, aggression, and control," Channel 4 revealed.
"Told through a female lens, the story examines the pressures and expectations placed on women while confronting the realities of toxic masculinity and the damage it can create in modern relationships. This time, the story was developed by Savage with Nicola Coughlan," the description reads.
"The manosphere" is a "whole collection of blogs, influencers, forums…where extremists advocate for the idea that men are superior to women and women ought to be subordinated to men," according to the BBC.
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Joe, who plays Nicola's on-screen love interest, will fall deeper into the manosphere, and the show will explore how the toxicity can infect modern relationships.
There are also very impressive people behind the show, as the series producers, Me+You Productions, are Emmy winners. Krishnendu Majumdar and Richard Yee of the production team are revelling in the opportunity to work with Nicola.
"To be working with Nicola Coughlan, one of the standout performers of her generation. Their collaboration on this two-part instalment of ‘I Am’ promises to be something truly special, and we’re deeply grateful to Channel 4 for their continued support and belief in this powerful series," they gushed over the Derry Girls star when the project was revealed in July.
The honour isn't lost on Nicola either, as the star rushed to compliment everyone involved in the project when her role in the series was confirmed.
"It’s an absolute honour to be part of telling the next 'I Am'… story alongside Dominic Savage — a singular talent and a storyteller deeply committed to exploring the breadth of the female experience," she said.
Nicola is well aware that she is in great company with the role, saying: "To follow in the footsteps of the brilliant women who’ve collaborated with him on this series feels truly surreal, and I feel incredibly fortunate to be embarking on this journey."
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The "I Am" series is described as being a "female-led drama anthology series of stand-alone programmes, starring some of Britain's leading actors."
Previous "I Am's" have covered topics including coercive control (Vicky McClure’s season) and social media (Kate Winslet’s episodes). Nicola's "I Am" Helen will air on Channel 4 later this year, though the exact release date hasn't been confirmed.
Filming wrapped for the show in August, with Nicola saying it was a "terrifying and liberating" experience.
Sharing an update, the actress wrote: "That’s a wrap on 'I Am Helen'. It’s been an experience that has been in equal parts deeply terrifying and deeply liberating.
"I’m immeasurably grateful to the brilliant @i.am.dominicsavage for trusting me to tell this story. I’ve been so lucky to act alongside the incredibly talented @theotherjoecole and the rest of the stellar cast put together by @shaheenbaigcasting. @meandyouprods who have been so supportive and made this project happen.
"And last but not least, I’m so grateful to the small but mighty crew who made this show, what an honour to share this experience alongside you.
"'I Am Helen' will be coming so @channel4 at some point and I can’t wait to share it with you all."
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* This article was originally published on Evoke.ie.