Mission: Impossible actress Hayley Atwell joins the cast of Disney+ show Rivals
Hayley Atwell and Rupert Everett have joined the cast of Rivals Season 2, and will play husband and wife Helen Gordon and Malise Gordon in the Disney+ period comedy-drama.
Hayley Atwell will star in Season 2 of Rivals.
The Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning actress has joined the period comedy-drama will be playing Helen Gordon, Rupert Campbell-Black’s ex-wife and mother of his two children, Marcus and Tabitha.
Also joining Rivals as a guest star is , who will portray Helen's husband Malise Gordon, Campbell Black’s former show-jumping coach and mentor. Rupert Campbell-Black is played by Alex Hassell.
Principal photography on Rivals - which is made by ITV Studios’ Happy Prince and is based on the novel by Dame Jilly Cooper -is underway in the UK.
Lee Mason - Executive Director of Scripted Originals, EMEA Disney+ - said: “Rivals is a landmark series for Disney+, quickly becoming one of our most beloved British UK Original dramas. I’m delighted to welcome Hayley and Rupert to our extraordinary family of actors. They are a perfect match for the world of Rutshire, so lovingly created by Dame Jilly and the team at Happy Prince.”
Dominic Treadwell-Collins - Chief Creative Officer of Happy Prince and Alexander Lamb, Creative Director of Happy Prince - added: “We are utterly thrilled to have Hayley and Rupert join us to play Jilly Cooper's legendary characters Helen and Malise Gordon. Alongside our other new wonderful actors and truly brilliant returning cast, Rivals series two absolutely showcases the best of British and Irish talent. With further exciting guest stars to be announced, we can’t wait for everyone to see what’s next for the residents of Rutshire.”
Set against the backdrop of the stunning English countryside of the Cotswolds and the glamorous, high-stakes world of 1980s British television, the second instalment will see the return of the all-star cast that won the hearts of fans and critics alike as well as introducing brand new faces.
Careers, marriages and reputations hang in the balance as personal and professional lives collide in a world where secrets can’t stay hidden for long and where the cost of success could be everything.
Further talent joining the ensemble have been announced and includes Maxim Ays, Holly Cattle, Oliver Dench, Amanda Lawrence, Bobby Lockwood, Eliot Salt, and Jonny Weldon.
Amongst the returning cast from Season One are Wendy Albiston as Mrs Makepiece, Denise Black as Joyce Madden, Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton and David Calder as Reverend Penny,
Rivals Season 2 will run for 12 episodes and will return to Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK and internationally.
All episodes of Rivals Season 1 are available to stream now, on Disney+.
