Claudia Jessie, renowned for her role as Eloise Bridgerton in the popular Netflix period drama Bridgerton, has recently been unveiled as a new addition to the cast of Netflix’s upcoming drama series, Toxic Town. Alongside her, the project has also enlisted the talents of Joe Dempsie from Game of Thrones and Michael Socha, known for his roles in This Is England and Being Human.
These three actors are set to join a star-studded ensemble that includes Jodie Whittaker of Doctor Who fame, as well as Aimee Lou Wood from Sex Education. Earlier announcements introduced Robert Carlyle, famous for his role in The Full Monty, along with Rory Kinnear, known for his appearances in Bond films, and Brendan Coyle from Downton Abbey, rounding out the impressive cast for this four-part limited series.
The announcement regarding the cast was posted on Netflix UK’s official Instagram account, and the caption began with, We’re excited to introduce three new faces (who may be familiar!) joining the cast of ‘Toxic Town.’ These newcomers will be joining the previously revealed actors in Jack Thorne’s limited series, which is inspired by the real-life events of the Corby poisonings.
The Netflix series delves into the Corby poisonings, a notorious case that resulted in a high-profile legal trial held at London’s High Court in 2009. Corby, a town in Northamptonshire, was once home to a steelworks that shut down in the early 1980s, leaving behind a substantial amount of toxic waste.
Between 1984 and 1999, the Corby Borough Council was responsible for overseeing efforts to remove toxic waste from the area, resulting in contamination of populated areas and communities and adverse effects on the health of local residents.
A pivotal legal case was brought forward by 18 families, representing 19 young individuals, who claimed that the toxic waste dumped during this period was the cause of birth defects.
A High Court judge found the council liable for negligence, public nuisance, and a breach of statutory duty. In 2010, the council announced the abandonment of plans to appeal the decision, acknowledged mistakes in its cleanup of the former British Steel site years ago, and reached a financial settlement with the affected families.
Notably, actresses Jodie Whittaker and Aimee Lou Wood were recently seen filming scenes for the upcoming Netflix series, Toxic Town.
Filming proceeded as planned because Toxic Town was classified as a UK production under the actors’ union Equity, rather than falling under the purview of the Hollywood-based actor and writer unions that were currently involved in a strike.
While specific character details have not yet been disclosed, writer Jack Thorne confirmed in a press statement that the series will center on the remarkable, courageous, and resilient women who fought tirelessly for justice for their children.
For those interested, Bridgerton seasons 1-2 are currently available for streaming on Netflix, along with Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.
Source: DigitalSpy
