Back to All NewsMatthew Goode, Chloe Pirrie, Alexej Manvelov, Kelly Macdonald and Leah Byrne Join Forces for Scott Frank's New Series Department Q for Netflix, Produced by Left Bank Pictures
Entertainment
06 February 2024
GlobalUnited Kingdom (Great Britain)
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Tuesday 6 February 2024: Today, Netflix announces cast for new crime series Department Q, which is currently in production in Edinburgh. Matthew Goode (The King's Man, The Offer), Chloe Pirrie (Under The Banner of Heaven, The Queen's Gambit), Alexej Manvelov (Jack Ryan, Top Dog) Kelly Macdonald (Line of Duty, Operation Mincemeat) and Leah Byrne (Call The Midwife, Nightsleeper) to star in the new series from acclaimed showrunner Scott Frank (The Queen's Gambit).
MATTHEW GOODE as DCI CARL MORCK Detective, Carl Morck - brilliant but impossible - has his life turned upside down after a violent incident leaves his partner paralysed and an officer dead. Upon his return to work, he is tasked with setting up Department Q - a new cold case department, which is little more than a PR exercise. At first, being sidelined suits Carl; he's happy to waste his days playing solitaire and skiving. Yet over the course of the series, Carl's detective instincts are reawakened, and his new department down in the basement becomes an unlikely magnet for the misfits and mavericks of Chief Super, Moira's police team.
CHLOE PIRRIE as MERRITT LINGARD
Merritt, a ruthless and ambitious prosecutor, has quickly risen the ranks in the Crown Office. Merritt had a troubled childhood, raised by her absent father on the Isle of Mull. But after her brother William suffered a severe brain injury, she turned her life around and dedicated her life to him, whilst striving for justice in her role as prosecutor. However, in the wake of the biggest case of her career, Merritt decides she needs to make a change. As a result, Merritt and Carl's paths collide.
ALEXEJ MANVELOV as AKRAM SALIM
Akram was an officer in the Syrian police force when civil war broke out. He decided to flee to Europe with his family. Unable to work as a cop in the UK, he petitions for work at Edinburgh's police station, becoming Carl's assistant. Akram keeps his past life in Syria private, but as the series goes on, Carl realises he's underestimated his new partner.
KELLY MACDONALD as DR RACHEL IRVING
Dr Rachel Irving is the therapist charged with getting officers back on the front line. She's smart, and she soon gets the measure of Carl, his trauma and his superiority complex. Intrigued by one another, the two develop a deeper connection across the series.
LEAH BYRNE as ROSE
Rose was a top police cadet with a promising future in the force. But a mental-health-related breakdown during her first year as a detective constable has left her on shaky ground. Demoted to a desk job, the stigma has followed her ever since. She appeals to Carl in his new department down in the basement for a chance to prove herself once again.
The cast also includes Mark Bonnar (Napoleon, Guilt) as Stephen, Shirley Henderson (Harry Potter, Bridget Jones) as Clare Marsh, Jamie Sives (Guilt, Crime) as DS Hardy and Kate Dickie (Inside Man, The Witch) as Moira.
About Department Q
Department Q is an adaptation of the novels of the same name from Danish author, Jussi Adler-Olsen. Written by Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani, Stephen Greenhorn and Colette Kane, the series revolves around Carl Morck, a former top-rated detective in Edinburgh assigned to a new cold case whilst wracked with guilt following an attack that left his partner paralysed and another policeman dead.
Department Q (8x60') is a Left Bank Pictures production, episodes 1&2 directed by Scott Frank (The Queens Gambit, Godless). Executive produced by Rob Bullock, Scott Frank, Chandni Lakhani and Andy Harries.
PRESS CONTACT
Sarah Ellis sellis@netflix.com
About Netflix:
Netflix is one of the worlds leading entertainment services with over 260 million paid memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, films, and games across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching, as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.
About Left Bank Pictures
Left Bank Pictures is an independent production company within the Sony Pictures Television group. Multi award-winning independent production company Left Bank Pictures launched in 2007 and since its inception has built up a world class creative team with a wealth of experience in British filmmaking and broadcasting under the leadership of Chief Executive Andy Harries.
Productions include six seasons of The Crown for Netflix; seven seasons of Outlander for Starz; BAFTA Award-winning film Sitting in Limbo based around the Windrush scandal for the BBC; a three-part adaptation of James Grahams play Quiz for ITV; the hit Netflix thriller Behind Her Eyes; Canadian-set crime drama Three Pines' for Prime Video and Nottingham-set crime drama Without Sin for ITVX.
Recent productions include Everything Now and Who is Erin Carter? for Netflix with the Vicky McLure-led thriller Insomnia which launches on Paramount+ in 2024.
Twice named Best Independent Production Company at the Broadcast Awards (in 2011 and 2018) Left Bank also won Production Company of the year at the Edinburgh International Television Festival in 2017.
Left Bank Pictures' films and scripted series have been recognised by all the major awards bodies around the world including Golden Globes, Emmys, Academy Awards, BAFTA and Royal Television Society amongst many others. Sony Pictures Television took a majority stake in Left Bank Pictures in 2012.
