Toni Collette leads Apple TV’s remake of a hit Norwegian drama — with Game of Thrones’ Ciarán Hinds
Toni Collette will lead Apple TV’s remake of a critically acclaimed series — and there’s a Game of Thrones name attached you’ll definitely recognise.
Right, Apple TV+ is dipping into the Scandi drama pool again, and this time they’ve landed Toni Collette for the lead. The new series is called Lenni, and if you’re a fan of the original Norwegian show Pernille, you might already have an idea where this is heading. Apple’s definitely not messing about with the casting on this one: Collette, an Oscar nominee and actual Emmy and Golden Globe winner (and let’s not forget that Tony nomination), is at the top of the call sheet.
Production for Lenni has officially started in Australia.
The Premise: Not Just Another Day Job
So, what’s Lenni about? Collette is playing a child welfare worker who’s also a divorced mum of two — practically a guarantee that work and home life are going to get messily entangled. Official blurb says we’ll follow Lenni as she tackles a new case, with her professional world colliding dangerously with her personal chaos. Apple’s version seems to stay faithful to Pernille, where the original main character was a single mother of three balancing social work and home, plus her own dad to look after, so expect that signature blend of domestic drama meets social realism.
The Cast: A Decidedly Strong Lineup
You’ll spot Ciarán Hinds (yes, that’s Mance Rayder from Game of Thrones) as one of the main supporting names. The cast also boasts Dan Wyllie, Josh McKenzie, Celeste Barber, Genevieve Hegney, Arka Das, and Wayne Blair — no lightweight ensemble, that. So, it’s not just Toni carrying the load here.
- Toni Collette (Lenni – lead)
- Ciarán Hinds
- Dan Wyllie
- Josh McKenzie
- Celeste Barber
- Genevieve Hegney
- Arka Das
- Wayne Blair
Who’s Pulling the Strings?
Production’s already underway in Australia, with Made Up Stories and Keshet International running the show. Sarah Scheller is in charge of adapting the original Norwegian format — she’s no stranger to character-driven storytelling. Sitting in the director’s chair is Dearbhla Walsh, who’s stepping in as both director and executive producer. Here’s an interesting bit — Henriette Steenstrup, who created and led Pernille, is also behind the scenes as EP, which gives the project a good link to the source material. Collette’s executive producing as well, alongside Bruna Papandrea and a sizeable international producing team with names like Steve Hutensky, Katie Amos, Avi Nir, Keren Shahar, Bård Fjulsrud, and Tanya Badendyck.
When and Where?
If you’re looking for a release date, you’ll have to wait — Apple hasn’t announced when Lenni will actually land on screens. But between the pedigree of the cast, the creative team, and close ties to the original series, it’s already catching plenty of attention.