According to Deadline, Hulu is in the process of developing a new limited series adaptation of Suzanne Rindell’s debut novel The Other Typist with two-time Oscar nominee Keira Knightley attached to portray one of the leading roles. This project will mark the British actress’s first major TV role after lending her voice to the Syfy miniseries Neverland in 2011.
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First published in 2013, The Other Typist is described as a psycho-sexual suspense thriller. It is set in New York City during the height of the Prohibition era where it follows the story of an unworldly police department typist named Rose Baker as she gets drawn into the shady world of her glamorous new co-worker, Odalie (Knightley), but when the ultimate crime is committed, it’s uncertain which of the two women was the more treacherous. The novel covers the themes of identity, class, obsession, and misplaced desire.
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The book’s official synopsis reads: “Confessions are Rose Baker’s job. A typist for the New York City Police Department, she sits in judgment like a high priestess. Criminals come before her to admit their transgressions, and, with a few strokes of the keys before her, she seals their fate. But while she may hear about shootings, knifings, and crimes of passion, as soon as she leaves the room, she reverts to a dignified and proper lady. Until Odalie joins the typing pool.
As Rose quickly falls under the stylish, coquettish Odalie’s spell, she is lured into a sparkling underworld of speakeasies and jazz. And what starts as simple fascination turns into an obsession from which she may never recover.”
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The Other Typist series will be written and executive produced by Ilene Chaiken (The L Word), who will also serve as showrunner. The series is a production by Searchlight Television and 20th Century Fox Television with Knightley, Rindell and 3 Arts’ Oly Obst set as executive producers
Knightley is known for her roles in big franchise films such as George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean opposite Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Her film credits also include drama films such as Atonement, Begin Again, The Imitation Game, and Pride & Prejudice. The latter two earned her Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively. Before starring in this upcoming Hulu series, she had also appeared in a few limited series including 1999’s Oliver Twist and 2002’s Doctor Zhivago.
(Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
