PRODUCTION / FUNDING UK / Australia
Netflix adapts Marian Keyes’ Grown Ups into a drama series helmed by James Griffiths and Ciaran Donnelly
- The eight-part show, set in Dublin, follows the chaotic lives of the Casey family, bound together by love, loyalty, grief and unresolved tensions
Netflix has greenlit Grown Ups, a new drama series based on Marian Keyes’ bestselling novel, with production now under way in and around Dublin. The eight-episode series follows the chaotic lives of the Casey family, bound together by love, loyalty, grief and unresolved tensions, as they navigate adulthood amid personal and familial upheaval.
The ensemble cast features Peabody Award winner Sarah Greene (Bad Sisters, Normal People) as Jessie, Barry Ward (The End of the F***ing World, Bad Sisters) as Johnny, Aisling Bea (This Way Up [+see also:
trailer
series profile]) as Cara and Robert Sheehan (Umbrella Academy, Misfits) as Liam. The cast is rounded off by Amy-Leigh Hickman (YOU, Our Girl), Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty), Sinéad Cusack (Marcella), Karin Hanczewski (Call My Agent: Berlin), James Agnew and Katelyn Rose Downey (Clean Sweep [+see also:
interview: Larry Bass
series profile]). Keyes herself praised the casting as “above and beyond my wildest dreams”.
Created and written by Samantha Strauss, co-founder of Picking Scabs and known for Apple Cider Vinegar, the series is being executive-produced by Strauss, Helen Gregory, Andy Noble, Shay Spencer, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Liz Watts, Marian Keyes and James Griffiths. Griffiths and Ciaran Donnelly direct the show, with Simon Gillis serving as co-executive producer and Liz Gill as series producer. Netflix oversight is provided by Manda Levin, Henrietta Lee and Mona Qureshi.
Strauss described the project as a “true life highlight”, noting her long-standing admiration for Keyes’ work and her excitement at bringing the Casey family to life on screen. “Being part of this, seeing it all come together, has been so exciting and so much fun,” Strauss said. “I’m enormously proud of the care taken with my characters and grateful for the commitment of our fantastic cast and crew.”
The story unfolds in South Dublin, where the tight-knit but dysfunctional Caseys confront the unexpected death of the family’s “good son”, setting off a year-long emotional reckoning. It explores love, resentment, memory, and the humorous but often painful realities of adulthood, reflecting the tone of Keyes’ beloved novel.
Keyes and Strauss first discussed the adaptation in late 2020, forging an immediate creative connection. The author emphasised the importance of filming in Ireland, noting the trust she felt in Strauss and the production team. “Countless books are optioned and very few ever make it to the screen,” Keyes said. “From that first conversation, I believed in Sam, and with Netflix on board, it was so easy to trust everyone involved.”
Grown Ups is being produced by UK outfit See-Saw Films and Australian firm Picking Scabs.
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