Dirty Laundry Cast Announced
Dirty Laundry Cast Announced
Veteran stage and screen actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand will star as money-laundering matriarch Donna Rafferty in Dirty Laundry – TV ONE’s new drama series which went into production last week.
Created by award-winning writers Rachel Lang and Gavin Strawhan and funded by NZ On Air,Dirty Laundry follows Donna (Ward-Lealand) and the Rafferty family: daughter Kat (Tai Berdinner-Blades, Go Girls), son Matt (Tim Carlsen, Field Punishment No. 1) and daughter Bianca (newcomer Victoria MacCulloch).
Donna has been channelling ill-gotten gains through various businesses for years, but when the police cart her off to the slammer, the revelation that mum’s a doyenne of crime comes as a complete shock to her family. But how else was Donna supposed to keep a family running in this day and age?
The Raffertys now have to fend for themselves and face the possibility that they can’t actually afford their middle class lifestyle.
The core cast is joined by a raft of acting talent including: Robbie Magasiva (Wentworth, Shortland Street, Sione’s Wedding), David Van Horn (Sione’s Wedding), Rachael Blampied (The White Mouse, Venus and Mars), Pana Hema Taylor (Boy, Spartacus), Heto Ah Hi (Sione’s Wedding), Ilona Rogers (Shortland Street, Gloss) and newcomer George Ferrier.
Ward-Lealand says of being cast in the series: “I’m absolutely loving working on Dirty Laundry. It has a great cast, terrific writing, a super production team and the opportunity to go on an interesting character journey - what more can an actor ask for? I can’t wait to see how things develop as we learn more about Donna’s very complicated family life. I’m pretty sure there are some surprises in store!"
The series’ producer, Britta Hawkins (Go Girls, Nothing Trivial) says: “I couldn’t be more excited to bring the work of this phenomenal cast and crew to Kiwi screens. It’s a joy to watch the Rafferty family coming to life and navigating the minefield of Donna’s unfolding secrets."
Dirty Laundry will air on TV ONE later in 2016 and is funded by NZ On Air.
It is produced by Filthy Productions Ltd, who are also behind TV2’s upcoming multi-night drama series, Filthy Rich.
ENDS