In a nutshell:
The Lenny Abrahamson-led team behind the BBC adaptation of Normal People returns to translate Sally Rooney’s debut novel into a 12-episode series.
What’s the plot of Conversations with Friends, exactly?
While Normal People centres almost entirely on the relationship between Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron, Conversations with Friends homes in on a peculiar (and peculiarly attractive) foursome. There’s the bisexual Frances, a spoken-word poet at university in Dublin who cannot express herself off-stage to save her life; there’s her boldly provocative ex-girlfriend Bobbi, who remains her closest friend in spite of triggering her deepest insecurities; and there’s the Conways, a 30-something married couple whom Frances and Bobbi meet at a poetry night. While Bobbi is immediately drawn to the enigmatic Melissa, a journalist who’s keen to photograph both girls, Frances gradually forms a bond with Nick, her actor husband. As ever in Rooney’s novels, the next few hundred pages chart the romances (and tumultuous power dynamics) amongst the quartet, both at home in Dublin and during a trip to the continent.
Who’s been cast in the TV adaptation of Conversations with Friends?
If Normal People launched Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal’s careers, three out of four of the leads in Conversations with Friends are already well-established stars in their own right. Fresh off her turn in Netflix’s Sex Education, Jemima Kirke will step into the role of Melissa, while Joe Alwyn will play Nick, and Sasha Lane will appear as Bobbi. The only newcomer among them? Alison Oliver as Frances, her first professional role since graduating from The Lir, Ireland’s National Academy of Dramatic Art, of which Mescal is also an alumnus.
Who’s behind the production of Conversations with Friends?
Irish auteur Lenny Abrahamson, best known for directing Room, is directing Conversations with Friends, while screenwriter Alice Birch, who collaborated with Rooney on the scripts for Normal People, is overseeing the writing.
When will the TV adaptation of Conversations with Friends be released?
Conversations with Friends is due for release on 15 May on Hulu in the US and BBC Three in the UK.
Is there a trailer for Conversations with Friends?
The first teaser for the series dropped on 8 February, and it’s clear from the get-go that Conversations with Friends is going to be a lot darker than Normal People. Take the fact that its protagonists are having a full-blown affair, for one, with Frances asking Nick at one point in the clip, “Does that make us bad people?” Hulu and BBC Three also released the first stills from the drama on 3 February. Along with a glimpse of Oliver and Alwyn together in character, there are plenty of shots of the foursome on their aforementioned European holiday.
A full trailer followed on 12 April, set to an original track by Phoebe Bridgers, “Sidelines”.
How should I entertain myself before Conversations with Friends premieres?
It’s worth revisiting Rooney’s novel before watching the series – besides being a thoroughly enjoyable read, it’s also fascinating to watch how and when the TV programme departs from her original story. If you’re keen for more reading material, devour her latest release, Beautiful World, Where Are You? as well, along with everything on our Normal People-inspired reading list. To remind yourself how talented Sasha Lane is, watch 2016’s American Honey. Ditto Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk for Joe Alwyn, and Tiny Furniture for Jemima Kirke. And if you’re looking for something to binge-watch? Try Love Life.
