Normal People is by now a cliché of the Instagram feed: brunch, bestie, and this cult book, written by Irish author Sally Rooney. Hulu has ordered a 12-episode half-hour series based on the bestselling novel, directed by Lenny Abrahamson (Room) and Hettie McDonald. Now, a steamy trailer is here to tease the series.
Here’s everything we know about it.
What’s Normal People about?
The novel, Rooney’s second (following her debut, the acclaimed Conversations With Friends), details the fractious, tentative relationship between small-town Irish high-schoolers Marianne and Connell; she’s rich and clever but a loner, while he’s a popular kid whose single mother cleans Marianne’s house. Their uneasy bond later changes, and so do their circumstances—when they both attend the same university a year later, she’s the assured, popular one, while he feels less steady on his feet.
The novel was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2018 and recently won Book of the Year at the British Book Awards.
Who has been cast?
Daisy Edgar-Jones (War of the Worlds, Cold Feet) will play Marianne and Paul Mescal, in his television debut, will play Connell.
“Very excited boy,” Mescal tweeted after the news was announced. Edgar-Jones also shared the news on her Instagram: “So excited to be playing Marianne in Normal People with the brilliant @paul.mescal!!”
Is there a trailer?
Yes, and for fans of the novel, it’s almost too much to handle. The chemistry between the two lead actors practically burns off the screen. For those who still haven’t read the book (tsk, tsk) no major plot details are given away. However, the tension between these two can be cut with a knife. Inject all 12 episodes into my bloodstream now.
Will Sally Rooney be involved with the show?
Yes, the author herself adapted the book for the screen, along with Alice Birch and Mark O’Rowe. “As a longtime admirer of Lenny Abrahamson’s work, it’s a special privilege for me to be working alongside him on the adaptation of Normal People,” she said in a statement.“ I couldn’t be happier with the cast and team we’ve put together, and I’m very excited to watch them bringing new life to the story on screen.” Rooney will also serve as an executive producer.
When will Normal People premiere?
According to Hulu, the series will premiere in spring 2020—plenty of time to read the book before it starts.