New series for Sky

Actor and comedian Michelle De Swarte has landed the starring role in Sky’s darkly comic horror, The Baby, the broadcaster announced today.

In the eight-part show she will play Natasha, a woman who’s never made long-term plans – until she is unexpectedly landed with a baby who’s controlling, manipulative and with violent powers.

As she discovers the true extent of its deadly nature, Natasha makes increasingly desperate attempts to get rid of the baby.

It has been created by debut screenwriter Siân Robins-Grace, and written by an all-female writing room.

De Swarte, a former model turned comic, recently made her acting debut as a series regular in Katherine Ryan’s Netflix series The Duchess.

She said of her role in the new show,: ‘Natasha is an emotionally arrested, flawed and 100 per cent relatable character that I find it hard not to fall in love with as I read through the scripts.

‘To be able to play someone I not only understand but am rooting for is a dream come true. Siân has written someone with depth, honesty and an authenticity that is as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching.

‘I feel extremely blessed to be working with so many kick-ass women on a project that is deliciously female centred.’

Making her acting debut, Amber Grappy plays Bobbi, Natasha’s younger sister and a children’s magician. Also joining the cast is Amira Ghazalla who plays Mrs Eaves, the 73-year-old enigma who has spent the last 50 years living out of her car.

Robins-Grace, who created the series with producer Lucy Gaymer, is joined in the writers’ room by Sophie Goodhart, Kara Smith, Anchuli Felicia King and  Susan Stanton with comic Bisha K. Ali - whose writing credits include Sex Education -  as consultant.

The series is a co-production between Sky and HBO in the States.
 

Published: 7 Jun 2021