BBC’s Black Narcissus is an erotic thriller about Anglican nuns in Nepal, starring none other than Bond Girl Gemma Arterton.
Arterton’s role as a repressed Sister who falls for a handsome hunk has got viewers hooked – here’s more about her character…
Who does Gemma Arterton play in Black Narcissus?
Gemma Arterton leads the cast as Sister Clodagh, a nun leading a group through the Himalayan mountains.
She finds herself attracted to the handsome Mr Dean, a land agent.
Clodagh is also haunted by her past – specifically, the event that made her turn to life as a Sister.
Gemma told the Express about her experience of playing Clodagh.
She said: “As soon as I started playing [Sister Clodagh], I felt myself getting very tight,
“I think the real Clodagh is someone who is very wild, free and physical, and she shuts all those impulses down when she goes into the Order.
“Her whole body becomes as stiff as a board,
“I found myself getting shoulder and neckache playing her as I was so stiff! You want to give her a massage and tell her to loosen up.”
What other films and TV shows has she been in?
Arterton‘s most famous role was as Bond Girl Strawberry Fields in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.
Her first role was in St Trinian’s and since then she has also featured in blockbusters such as Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.
She also had a voice role in the 2018 TV series Watership Down and appeared as Helen in 2016 movie The Girl With All The Gifts.
Arterton has also had celebrated stage roles – namely in The Duchess of Malfi, Made in Dagenham and Nell Gwynn.
What is Black Narcissus about?
Set in the 1930s, Black Narcissus is about British Anglican nuns in India.
It is a tale of forbidden love mainly for Arterton’s Sister Clodagh has travelled from a British convent to Nepal to set up a mission in the derelict palace of Mopu.
Repressed Sister Clodagh finds herself increasingly seduced by the land agent Mr Dean but finds troubling memories of her past come to the surface.
Meanwhile General Toda Rai hopes the nuns will banish the tragic memories about the late Princess Srimati which have been plaguing the palace.
Show writer, Amanda Coe said: “I’m thrilled to be adapting Black Narcissus for BBC One.
“It’s a truly extraordinary love story, as well as a brilliantly unsettling piece of 20th century gothic about the power of a place to get under your skin and the dangers of refusing to learn from history.”
Who else is in the cast?
Black Narcissus stars the late Dame Diana Rigg, Jim Broadbent, and Gina McKee.
Aisling Franciosi, Alessandro Nivola, Rosie Cavaliero, Patsy Ferran, Karen Bryson and Dipika Kunwar also star in the dark drama.
