Ruth Wilson is set to lead a gothic thriller inspired by a long, dark chapter in Ireland’s history. Deadline reports that the “Luther” and “The Affair” alumna will topline “The Woman in the Wall,” a BBC and Showtime series based on Magdalene Laundries, infamous institutions for “fallen women.”
“The Woman in the Wall” tells the story of Lorna Brady (Wilson) who ” wakes one morning to find a corpse in her house. Brady has no idea who the dead woman is or if she herself might be responsible for the apparent murder, because she has long suffered from extreme bouts of sleepwalking,” the source teases. “The episodes began during her teenage years when she was incarcerated in one of Ireland and the Catholic Church’s notorious Magdalene Laundries,” where women were “sent to atone for ‘sins’ such as adultery and teenage pregnancy.”
Magdalene Laundries operated for more than 200 years. In 1993, the unmarked graves of 155 women were discovered on the grounds of one of the laundries. “A formal state apology was issued in 2013, and a £50M compensation scheme for survivors was set up by the Irish Government,” Deadline details.
“Lorna Brady is a complex and fascinating character, and I’m thrilled to help bring her to life,” said Wilson. The two-time BAFTA nominee described “The Woman in the Wall” as a “moving examination of the legacy of the Magdalene Laundries” and emphasized that it’s a “privilege to bring this story to screens.”
Jana Winograde, President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks, added that the “powerful” and “moving” series is “incredibly relevant to our culture today.”
Wilson’s recent credits include “His Dark Materials” and “True Things.”
