Natalie Dormer, known for her iconic role as Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones stars in M-Net‘s latest thriller, White Lies. A twisting murder mystery, set to become another must-see series from M-Net.
From the producers of the SAFTA-winning and International Emmy-nominated Reyka, comes White Lies, a riveting crime thriller set in the picturesque suburb of Bishopscourt, a playground for the ultra-wealthy elites of Cape Town.
The award-winning actress plays the character of Edie Hansen, who has to go back home to deal with her estranged family and ultimately her tumultuous past, filled with dark secrets she has buried years before.
In an exclusive interview, Dormer shares her insights into the series and her character.
What drew you to the role of Edie Hansen?
The thing I love about Edie as a protagonist is that I liked the dichotomy of playing someone who was very together professionally, but also an extreme mess in her personal life. As an actor, it’s fun to play those two dimensions within one character. I also fell in love with the odd couple, unlikely friendship between her and Detective Forty Bell that I got to play with Brendon.
But the fascinating thing about Edie is that she’s an investigative journalist who’s spent most of her adult life uncovering the truth, while at the same time, carrying many of her own secrets. So she waves the flag of truth and justice, but she’s holding a lot of dark skeletons in her closet at the same time. So it’s that tension between the two intentions that is very fun to play.
How does your character change over the course of the series?
Over the course of 8 episodes, you go on this beautiful journey of two characters, Edie and Forty, facing their own demons, and having a redemptive curve. Their stories mirror each other, both facing the darkness in their past.
It’s been wonderful to play with Brendon, this sort of absolute hatred of each other at the beginning, but as the story progresses, it flips, and they become allies, after a very harrowing experience together.
And it’s beautiful watching them both reconcile what it truly means to be a good journalist and a good cop, when they’re both fighting authority within their respective industries that is telling them to do the opposite to what their moral instincts are.”
How did you prepare to play Edie?
In order to play Edie I had three wonderful conversations with three wonderful women, who have all been, or are investigative journalists. I have to do a massive shout-out to Mandy Weiner, Susan Comrie and Holly Watt. I spent over an hour with each of them individually and it was absolutely fascinating to get to know the temperament required to do the job, the personality type, the determination, the compulsion to find the truth and to believe in something. It was an absolute revelation to me.”
What makes White Lies such a gripping drama?
I think because it handles these universal human themes that we all love and respond to. But for international audiences, it’s done in an exotic location with slightly different rules, traditions, and cultures, that is going to feel familiar, but fresh as well. International audiences have seen race, privilege, sociopolitical “who-dunnits” done really well. But I don’t feel that anything has ever been quite done in this microcosm of Cape Town in the same way. So hopefully a worldwide audience will find it enlightening, fascinating and exciting to watch the drama play out in this particular context.”
With a stellar cast and crew including lead director John Trengove and producers Harriet Gavshon and Nimrod Geva, White Lies promises to deliver an enthralling viewing experience. As Dormer steps into the role of Edie Hansen, audiences can expect a performance that delves into the depths of human complexity, adding yet another dimension to her illustrious career.
White Lies is produced by Quizzical Pictures, with Natalie Dormer and Darrel Bristow-Bovey also serving as executive producers. Julie Hodge is executive producing on behalf of Fremantle, who is also distributing the series internationally. White Lies was created by Sean Steinberg, with Matt Western as casting director for the UK cast.
Be sure to watch White Lies on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) at 8pm every Thursday. Stream it on DStv Stream or watch at your leisure on DStv Catch Up. Visit the M-Net Website and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
