Sophie Okonedo

Britannia Series 3 (2021)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
TV series promotional poster for Series 3 featuring actor Sophie Okonedo on the left and David Morrissey on the right dressed in period costume. In the foreground an actress Eleanor Worthington Cox stands centre frame dressed in armour holding a spear. Around the frame are images of a flaming cross, helmet, shields, stone pillars and ruins

Britannia Series 3 © Sky UK Ltd

Writer: Jez Butterworth, Tom Butterworth, James Richardson
Director: Luke Watson, Rob Savage, Sheree Folkston, Christoph Schrewe, Lisa James Larsson, Metin Huseyin, Susan Tully, Mackenzie Crook
Starring: Gianni Calchetti, Mackenzie Crook, David Morrissey, Sophie Okonedo
Production Company: Amazon Studios, Neal Street Productions, Sky, Vertigo Films
Kent Locations Used: High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells

Britannia (2021) is a historical fantasy TV drama set in 43 AD as the Roman Army returns to subjugate Britannia, which is populated by Celtic tribes that include warrior women and powerful druids. Series 3 sees a radical transformation in Cait’s (Eleanor Worthington-Cox) journey as the Chosen One with a decision that will tie her to the future of her war-torn people and their ravaged land.

The series was created by multi-award-winning writers Jez Butterworth (Spectre), his brother Tom Butterworth (Silent Witness) and James Richardson (Bulletproof). Epic, action packed, full of humour and terrifying in equal measure, Britannia is produced by Vertigo Films and Neal Street Productions in association with Sky Studios.

Britannia stars Gianni Calchetti (Cruella, The Third Day (2020)), Mackenzie Crook (Worzel Gummidge, The Office) and David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Missing) and, new to Series 3, Sophie Okonedo (The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016)).

High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells features in Series 3 Episode 5 as the land of the Sunfolk, an all-female tribe of visually impaired warriors. High Rocks is a national monument and site of special scientific interest. It comprises acres of sandstone rocks linked by eleven bridges that provide a scenic walk through a tranquil woodland setting. The rocks were once a stone age camp and provided the perfect backdrop for this Celtic drama.

Tunbridge Wells is a popular filming location and previous drama productions to have visited the area are The Third Day (2020) and Queens of Mystery (2020-2021).

Britannia Series 3 was made available to stream on SKY Atlantic and NOW on Tuesday 24th August 2021.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Christopher Robin (2018)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Christoper Robin Movie Poster of Christoper robin in a suit and coat carrying a briefcase and umbrella. Winnie the pooh, piglet, tigger and eeyore surround him. Disney Christopher Robin is written in gold with Ewan McGregor written in green on top. Sooner or later, your past catches up to you is underneath in black.

Christoper Robin Movie Poster ©The Walt Disney Studios

 

Writers: Alex Ross Perry and Allison Schroeder

Director: Marc Forster

Starring: Ewan McGregor Jim Cummings Hayley Atwell Chris O’Dowd Brad Garrett Toby Jones Nick Mohammed Peter Capaldi Sophie Okonedo.

Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures.

Kent Locations Used: Port of Dover Cruise Terminal One (Dover Marine Station), Shakespeare beach.

In this feature by Disney Studios, AA Milne’s Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor), is a working man with a wife and family, who is helped by his childhood friends, Pooh (Jim Cummings) and Co. to rediscover the joy of living. Over a period of four weeks, production transformed the entire historic Grade II Listed Dover Marine Station, an old Victorian railway station at the Dover Cruise Terminal into a London railway station, including running trains. A short film for the end credits was also shot on Shakespeare Beach in Dover.

Starring Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge, Trainspotting) as Christopher Robin, Jim Cummings (Princess and the Frog, Shrek) as the voices of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Hayley Atwell (Captain America, Cinderella) as Robin’s wife Evelyn Brad Garrett as Eeyore, Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Mist) as Owl, Nick Mohammed (The Martian, Bridget Jones’s Baby) voices Piglet, Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who, World War Z) as Rabbit and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda, Dirty Pretty Things) as Kanga.

The Railway Station at Dover Western Docks was first opened in January 1915, to receive wounded soldiers during WWI via the newly built Dover Harbour in 1909 and dispatched them to hospitals across the UK with best possible speed. The Unknown Warrior was returned to Britain here before being laid to rest in Westminster Abbey. From 1919, the station served the civilian population wishing to take the Express Boat Train to the Continent, though during WWII, it once again served the military. After its closure in 1994, it has served as Dover Cruise Terminal 1 which opened in 1996.

Production for Christopher Robin in Dover started in September 2017 and the listed and fully intact station building of Cruise Terminal 1, was transformed back into a railway station, complete with trains, shops and almost 400 local extras providing the background of a busy London terminal for a few days. Cruise passengers were diverted to Terminal 2, which gave production unusual, sole use of a large station set.

Port of Dover PR & Media Relations Officer, Justine Wingate said: “Dover Marine Station here at the Port of Dover, is a unique and versatile location. Not just because it is a beautiful example of a Victorian railway station but it is situated in a large secure area with little public access and plenty of space for unit bases and equipment.
The team from Disney spotted its potential as a featured location straight away and did an outstanding job in bringing it to life for Christopher Robin.”

Kent Film Officer, Gabrielle Lindemann said: “Once the location was secured, the biggest challenge was to accommodate the sometimes additional two to three hundred crew and cast. Local businesses stepped up to provide additional unit support and Kent accommodation providers across the whole of East Kent hosted our visitors.
Christopher Robin presented Kent Film Office with a great opportunity to show the sector that the county can successfully host and manage large scale productions.”

Dover houses Europe’s busiest ferry port, connecting the UK with the European mainland. Dover Castle towers above the town, signalling Dover’s strategic importance in the defence of the country and the White Cliffs are one of the most recognised landmarks in Britain. Some other feature films shot around Dover are ‘King Lear’, ‘Avengers’, ‘Into the Woods’, and ‘The Ones Below’.

The film will be released in the UK on 17th August 2018.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map. 

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses (2016)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

 

(HUGH BONNEVILLE), Margaret (SOPHIE OKONEDO), Richard III (BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH), Cecily (JUDI DENCH), Henry VI (TOM STURRIDGE) staring into the camera with trees behind them

The Hollow Crown: The Wars Of The Roses – Gloucester (HUGH BONNEVILLE), Margaret (SOPHIE OKONEDO), Richard III (BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH), Cecily (JUDI DENCH), Henry VI (TOM STURRIDGE) © BBC/Carnival Film & Television Ltd/Robert Viglasky

Director: Dominic Cooke

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Sturridge, Judi Dench, Jeremy Irons, Keeley Hawes, Sophie Okonedo, John Mackay, Stanley Townsend, Ben Daniels

Production Companies: Neal Street Productions, NBCUniversal, WNET

Kent Locations Used: Leeds Castle, Dover Castle, Penshurst Place

The Hollow Crown returns to BBC Two with a second series, The Wars of the Roses that include adaptations of three more historic plays by Shakespeare – Henry VI Part 1 & 2 and Richard III. The series is part of the BBC’s Shakespeare Season commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock Holmes, The Imitation Game) stars as Richard III and Tom Sturridge (The Boat That Rocked, Far from the Madding Crowd) plays Henry VI.

The supporting cast includes a wealth of talented actors, including Judi Dench (Philomena, Skyfall), Jeremy Irons (Eragon, The Lion King), Keeley Hawes (Doctor Who, Upstairs Downstairs), Sophie Okonedo (Doctor Who, Criminal Justice), John Mackay (Doc Martin, Casualty), Stanley Townsend (Cars, Ripper Street) and Ben Daniels (Locke, Madaline).

The first series aired in 2012 and featured Richard II, Henry IV, Part I and 2 and Henry V. The latter of which was also partly filmed in Kent; at Penshurst Place and Squerryes Court.

The Hollow Crown The Wars of the Roses (2016) Benedict Cumberbatch as Richard II fighting in battle on a field

The Hollow Crown The Wars Of The Roses © BBC/Carnival Film & Television Ltd/Robert Viglasky

The second series of The Hollow Crown filmed in Kent where Leeds Castle‘s Barbican and moat to depict scenes at the Tower of London, Penshurst Place doubled as the exterior of the Palace of Westminster’s Great Gates and Dover Castle features as The Tower of London as well as Anjou’s Palace and Joan’s Chambers in Rouen in Part 1 and a French Prison and St Alban’s Chapel and Market Place in Part 2.

Rich in history, Leeds Castle is set in 500 acres of beautiful parkland and formal gardens. The castle has opened its doors to a number of film productions over the years including Gadget Man (2014), Henry VIII (2003) and Lady Jane (1987).

Dover Castle is one of the most iconic of all the English fortresses, guarding the gateway to the realm for nine centuries. With its beautiful medieval interior, secret wartime tunnels and set overlooking the English Channel, Dover Castle is a popular film location having previously welcomed productions such as Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Into the Woods (2015) and To Kill a King (2003).

Penshurst Place is a 14th Century Manor House with preserved interiors, including the unique medieval Baron’s Hall as well as 11 acres of Elizabethan walled gardens. Wolf Hall (2015), Merlin (2008) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) have previously filmed at Penshurst Place.

The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses also features in the Kent Film Office Tudor(ish) Trail which celebrates Kent’s Tudor history and film connections.

Don’t miss The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses:

Henry VI part 1 will air on Saturday 7th May 2016 on BBC Two at 21:00.

Henry VI part 2 will air on Saturday 14th May 2016  on BBC Two at 21:00.

Richard III will air on Saturday 14th May 2016  on BBC Two at 21:00.

 

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.