With ten new additions, the upcoming Netflix series “The Decameron” has set its cast. Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet and Tanya Reynolds are among the list of names that’s been added to the period soap dramedy series.
They’re joined by Amar Chadha-Patel, Leila Farzad, Lou Gala, Karan Gill, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Douggie McMeekin, and Jessica Plummer.
Hailing from executive producer Jenji Kohan and creator/showrunner Kathleen Jordan, “The Decameron” looks to examine the timely themes of class systems, power struggles and survival in a time of pandemic with a touch of levity, brought together by a charming and riotous ensemble of characters.
Per the official logline, the series is “set in 1348. The Black Death strikes hard in the city of Florence. A handful of nobles are invited to retreat with their servants to a grand villa in the Italian countryside and wait out the pestilence with a lavish holiday. But as social rules wear thin, what starts as a wine-soaked sex romp in the hills of Tuscany descends into an all out scramble for survival.”
Chadha-Patel (“Willow,” “Wheel of Time”) will play Dioneo, a physician whose profession puts him in the frustrating limbo between upper and lower classes. Farzad (“I Hate Suzie,” “Better”) will play Stratilia, the intuitive, wise, steady backbone of Villa Santa. She works hard to stay out of the fray and protect her secrets.
Gala (“Julia,” “Secrets d’histoire”) will portray Neifile. A woman of paradoxes, Neifile is also known to be god-fearing and highly lustful. Her time spent at the villa proves deeply transformative. Gill (“I May Destroy You,” “Screw”) is expected to play the charming and cunning Panfilo. Panfilo is the son of a prominent political family in Florence and a formidable presence at the villa.
Hale (he/him; “Veep,” “Being The Ricardos”) will play Sirisco, the friendly yet ill-prepared and eager-to-please steward of Villa Santa.
Jackson (“Derry Girls”) will star as Misia. According to her character description, Misia is the codependent servant of Pampinea. She adores her demanding master and derives much self-worth from pleasing her. Mamet (“The Flight Attendant,” “Girls”) will fill the role of Pampinea. The soon-to-be the lady of the villa, Pampinea is full of hope and absolutely lacking in self-awareness. Despite her obsession with her high station, Pampinea’s groomed exterior conceals a deep loneliness and insecurity.
McMeekin (“Harlots,” “Chernobyl”) will play the rich noble, Tindaro, who is from a prominent family. Tindaro’s perfect pedigree as an eligible bachelor is undermined by his insufferable attitude, rampant hypochondria, and blunt disdain for women.
Plummer (“The Girl Before”) will play Filomena, a spoiled oddball with a chip on her shoulder, and the last surviving child of her noble family. Reynolds (“Sex Education,” “Emma”) will play Licisca, an obedient yet unpredictable servant with a heart of bronze, Licisca’s life has been defined by her hard work, thick skin, and devotion to the family she serves.
Netflix picked up the eight episode drama in August. Jordan (“Teenage Bounty Hunters”) will serve as creator, showrunner, and executive producer on the series. Kohan (“GLOW,” “Orange is the New Black”) executive produces through her company, Tilted Productions along with Blake McCormick and Tara Herrmann. Mike Uppendahl (“Ratched,” “American Crime Story”) will executive produce and direct. Michael Uppendahl is attached to direct four of the eight episodes and will also serve as an executive producer.
