HBO has announced that production on its original film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning play Oslo has begun and has revealed the cast for the espionage thriller, which will be led by Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson (His Dark Materials) and Golden Globe nominee Andrew Scott (Fleabag).
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The film is based on a true story of negotiations between implacable enemies — the secret back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics of a small but committed group of Israelis, Palestinians and one Norwegian couple that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords.
The script for the adaptation is penned by Tony Award winner J.T. Rogers, who also wrote the stage play, and the film will be directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific) and executive produced by Emmy winning and Academy Award nominated Marc Platt (La La Land, Bridge of Spies) of Marc Platt Productions, Academy Award nominee Kristie Macosko Krieger (The Post, Bridge of Spies), Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan) of DreamWorks Pictures and David Litvak of Bold Films.
“In collaboration with Steven, Kristie, Marc, and Bold Films, we’re delighted to work with J.T. and Bartlett to adapt their inspiring Tony Award-winning story for the screen,” Tara Grace, Senior Vice President of HBO Programming and Films, said in a statement. “Recounting the remarkable feat of two diametrically opposed sides coming together to find common ground, Oslo‘s themes are especially pertinent, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have so many revered artisans on both sides of the camera working together to bring this to life.”
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Oslo stars Wilson as Mona Juul, a Norwegian foreign minister; Scott as Terje Rød-Larsen, a Norwegian sociologist and Mona’s husband; Salim Dau (Fauda) as Ahmed Qurie, Finance Minister of the PLO; Waleed Zuaiter (Ramy) as Hassan Asfour, Qurie’s associate & PLO liaison; Jeff Wilbusch (Unorthodox) as Uri Savir, Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry; Igal Naor (Fauda) as Joel Singer, Legal adviser to the Israeli Foreign Ministry; Dov Glickman (Stockholm) as Yair Hirschfield, Israeli Professor of Economics; Rotem Keinan (Fauda) as Ron Pundak, Hirschfield’s associate and fellow Israeli professor; Itzik Cohen (Fauda) as Yossi Beilin, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister; Tobias Zilliacus (Thicker Than Water) as Jan Egeland, Norwegian State Secretary; and Sasson Gabai (Sirens) as Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister of the State of Israel.
“My memory of seeing Oslo on the stage for the first time is still so vivid,” Krieger said in a statement. “I felt then what I feel now – this is a powerful and necessary story for our times. I’m excited to be working with Steven, Marc, HBO and Bold Films, along with our incredible cast and creatives, to bring this story to an expanded global audience.”
Filming is currently taking place in Prague, Czech Republic and the film is scheduled to air on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max next year.
(Photo Credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
