Richard Gadd's Half Man has started filming, hot off the heels of Baby Reindeer's breakout success. The project poses "a new challenge" for Gadd, who's serving as writer, creator, and lead actor in the series.
Baby Reindeer creator Richard Gadd updated fans on his new series Half Man via Instagram. The photo confirmed filming started on Feb. 3 with director Alexandra Brodski (Somewhere Boy, Rivals) and DP Carlos Catalan (Rain Dogs, Killing Eve) at the helm. Half Man was first announced in February 2024 under the working title Lions, a six-part drama about two brothers' rocky relationship; the show's narrative includes flashbacks spanning four decades. Gadd serves as executive producer along with Gavin Smith and Gaynor Holmes (BBC), as well as Tally Garner and Morven Reid (Mam Tor Productions).
Per official synopsis, Half Man's story starts when estranged brothers Ruben (Gadd) and Niall (Jamie Bell, All of Us Strangers) reunite at the latter's wedding, which "leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back to their lives. This ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers' relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults – with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city - a changing world, even - and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question... What does it mean to be a man?"
'This Is Not Based On My Life At All'
Baby Reindeer's breakout success has only increased anticipation for Half Man; Gadd clarified the story isn't based on personal experience this time. "All of the stuff I've done as an emotional truth to it, but this is not based on my life at all," he told THR. "It's a fictional world and a new challenge that I'm really looking forward to." He initially stated he's not playing any characters in the story, unlike in Baby Reindeer. "No, I'm not going to act in that," he added. "I want Lions to exist as a piece of art, as a piece of work without my sudden recognition getting in the way, which is why we'll cast people who aren't me in the principal roles."
Gadd started his career as a stand-up comedian; he performed his first solo show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2010. He broke into the mainstream in 2015 when his runs shifted from very dark bits to topics that appealed to the broader audience. His shows earned multiple industry nods; he was featured on Comedy Central in 2017 among other performers as part of the channel's Soho Theater Live series. Gadd worked as a bartender while jobbing as a comedian; he met the real person who inspired Baby Reindeer's "Martha" (played by Jessica Gunning) at London's The Hawley Arms pub. Baby Reindeer received wide acclaim including six Emmy and two Golden Globe awards.
Half Man is a joint project between HBO and BBC. It currently does not have a release date.
Baby Reindeer is streaming on Netflix.
Source: Instagram, The Hollywood Reporter
.png)
Follow Us