Netflix has released the initial images from its upcoming film, “Scoop,” providing a glimpse into the recreation of the infamous 2019 Newsnight interview between the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and Emily Maitlis. The movie aims to depict the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding the BBC Two program’s acquisition of the candid interview, titled “car-crash” due to Prince Andrew’s revelations about his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In the released photographs, Rufus Sewell takes on the role of Prince Andrew, spending approximately three hours in the make-up chair to transform into the duke, while Gillian Anderson portrays Emily Maitlis in what producers describe as an “astonishing” performance.
The first image features Sewell and Anderson in a conversation, strolling through a meticulously recreated Buckingham Palace, mirroring the setting of the original interview. The actors wear identical outfits to the ones donned by Prince Andrew and Maitlis during the real-life exchange.
A second photograph recreates the interview itself, capturing the moment when Prince Andrew discussed his connections to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The duke vehemently denied allegations of sexual misconduct with Virginia Giuffre during the interview, claiming to be at Pizza Express in Woking on the alleged day.
Netflix’s “Scoop,” based on the book “Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews” by former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, promises to provide an inside look at the efforts of the women who secured the groundbreaking interview. The film features Billie Piper as McAlister, Keeley Hawes as Prince Andrew’s former private secretary Amanda Thirsk, and Romola Garai as Esme Wren, the leader of Newsnight at the time of the interview. Peter Moffat, the writer of BBC One drama Silk, penned the screenplay.
The release of the images comes amidst Amazon Prime Video’s production of a three-part series based on Emily Maitlis’s memoirs, set to cover the Prince Andrew interview. Michael Sheen is reported to play the duke in this adaptation, with Ruth Wilson taking on the role of Maitlis.
Netflix’s “Scoop” is scheduled to stream in the spring, offering viewers an in-depth exploration of the significant events that unfolded behind the scenes of the Prince Andrew interview.
Related: Court Documents Link Prince Andrew, Bill Clinton, and Others to Jeffrey Epstein
