‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Sophie Turner to Lead True-Crime Drama ‘Joan’

Sophie Turner, who played Sansa Stark on HBO’s Game of Thrones, has landed a lead role in an upcoming true-crime drama about notorious British jewel thief Joan Hannington.

According to Deadline, Turner will portray the titular Joan in the six-part series, which comes from writer Anna Symon (The Essex Serpent) and is based on Hannington’s memoirs. Set in the brash and aspirational London of the 1980s, the show revolves around Hannington, whose criminal exploits earned her the nickname ‘The Godmother’ in the city’s underworld.

The series begins with Hannington in her twenties when she was married to a violent man. After he goes on the run, she sets out to begin a better life for herself and her daughter, Debbie, before transforming into an accomplished jewel thief. Filming is expected to start in London in Spring 2023.

“I’m so excited to be bringing Joan Hannington’s fascinating life story to screen in Joan,” said Turner, who is married to singer-songwriter Joe Jonas. “She is one of the most notorious figures in the criminal underworld of London… A woman who goes between her thriving and daring career as a jewel thief, all whilst trying to get her daughter back from social services, we see a mother in despair swept up in the exhilarating world of crime.”

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The show will air on ITV’s new streaming service ITVX in the U.K., while All3Media International will handle worldwide distribution rights. A U.S. broadcaster has not yet been announced.

Ruth Kenley-Letts, Jenny Van Der Lande, and Neil Blair serve as executive producers on the project, with Paul Frift producing and Richard Laxton directing.

While best known for her role in Game of Thrones, Turner has also portrayed a young Jean Grey / Phoenix in the X-Men film series and recently appeared in the Netflix movie Do Revenge and the HBO Max biographical drama The Staircase.

Joan, TBA