Netflix will premiere a new high-society thriller about sex, power and privilege this April. Anatomy of a Scandal is set in London and the show follows British politician James Whitehorse (Rupert Friend) and his wife Sophie (Sienna Miller) as a sexual assault scandal threatens to disrupt their marriage.
The series is an adaptation of Books by Sarah Vaughan, which came out in January 2018. It tells the story of a famous couple whose marriage begins to fall apart when they are accused of a heinous crime. Kate’s attorney is prosecuting the case, and not only does she believe that James is guilty but tries to take him down. It’s a good thriller.
Created by Emmy winners David E. Kelley (who adapted Big Little Lies) and Melissa James Gibson (who wrote for The American and House of Cards), Anatomy of Lies is sure to be a must-watch television. Here’s everything you need to know about the show.
Anatomy of a Scandal Release Date
Fortunately, Netflix has officially announced that Anatomy of a Scandal will be available to stream on Netflix on April 15, 2022.
When Was the Anatomy of a Scandal Adaptation Confirmed?
In September 2020, Deadline first announced that an adaptation was in the works. Their report reveals Big Lies creator David E. Kelley and former House Of Cards host Melissa James Gibson are collaborating to create the series, which will be directed by Succession’s SJ Clarkson and acclaimed director Jessica Jones.
The series will consist of six episodes, each one hour long.
Anatomy of a Scandal is Based on a Bestselling Novel
Sarah Vaughan’s political thriller novel, often called the “#metoo wedding thriller,” came out in 2018 to positive reviews and spent ten weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. Vaughan draws from her experiences as a courtroom reporter and political correspondent to write stories, explaining that her time covering British politics helped her understand the nuances of “power, privilege and entitlement.”
Anatomy of a Scandal Cast: Who’s In It?
Led by Sienna Miller and Rupert Friend, the cast is filled with British stars. “I am a huge fan of the book and my character Sophie,” Miller said in a statement. “She’s multifaceted and is facing the consequences of the decisions she’s made in her unique life. I loved the arc and the journey she started.”
This courtroom drama also stars Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery as prosecutor Kate Woodcroft, who has reasons of her own to believe James is guilty; Josette Simon as James’ defense attorney, Angela Regan; and Naomi Scott as Olivia Lytton, James’ parliamentary aide and the woman who accuses James of rape.
What Will Anatomy of a Scandal Be About?
According to the logline on the show’s IMDb page, “Anatomy of a Scandal” will investigate “a sexual assault scandal among Britain’s privileged elite and the women trapped behind it.” But by looking at the Goodreads page of Sarah Vaughan’s book on which the series is based on, we can gather a bit more information about what to expect from the show’s plot.
According to Goodreads, the novel centers on Sophie Whitehouse (Sienna Miller), a woman with an extraordinary life with her loving husband, James (Rupert Friend), and their two children. Sophie and James had quite a few high-profile marriages because James was such a successful public figure. But when James is accused of a crime – which Deadline describes as rape – their lives begin to unravel. Sophie believes James when he says he didn’t, and she wants James to be proven innocent so they can return to their normal lives. But Kate (Michelle Dockery), an experienced attorney hired to prosecute the case, fully believes James is guilty and is determined to prove it.
The Goodreads description continues, “Who was right about James? Sophie or Kate? And were either of them informed by something more than instinct and personal experience?” We can’t wait to see how the drama-filled “Anatomy of a Scandal” will hit screens when it premieres on Netflix
Is Anatomy of a Scandal Based on a True Story?
Writer Sarah Vaughan says Anatomy of a Scandal is based on her experience covering British sex scandals and her early career as a courtroom reporter covering murder trials and sexual harassment trials.
Later, she turned to covering British politics. “I saw how sex scandals involving politicians broke out and how it all happened. I was in the lobby when Home Secretary David Blunkett was exposed by the News of the World for having an affair with the publisher Spectator; and I saw Boris Johnson colorfully denying it and then admitting to lying about his affair with Petronella Wyatt,” Vaughan wrote for a blog for British bookseller Waterstones.
Anatomy of a Scandal Trailer
While there’s no trailer to speak of just yet, Netflix revealed a first-look at the cast in character at the end of January 2022. We see Michelle Dockery as Kate in her barrister’s outfit, Rupert Friend as James in the defendant box, and Sienna Miller as Sophie, looking shocked and confused.
