There is not long to wait until the premiere of new BBC four-part thriller Ridley Road [1], which arrives on our screens on 3 Oct. Set in the summer of 1962, Ridley Road is based on the critically acclaimed 2014 novel of the same name by author Jo Bloom, and tells the story of fictional young Jewish woman Vivien Epstein (Agnes O'Casey), as she rejects her comfortable middle-class life in Manchester to join the fight against rapidly rising far-right fascism in London.
Vivien's story is inspired by the real-life struggle of the 62 Group [2], a coalition of Jewish men who stood up against rising neo-Nazism in post-war Britain, and sees Vivien working with them when she realises that her missing boyfriend, Jack (Tom Varey), has been badly injured as a result of his work within the coalition. Vivien infiltrates the National Socialist Movement, a neo-Nazi movement which is becoming increasingly prominent in London, and finds her courage and loyalties challenged as she descends further into the organisation, ultimately risking everything for her beliefs and for the man she loves. Award-winning writer and actor Sarah Solemani (Barry, Him & Her), has adapted Bloom's novel for television, which offers a stellar cast to bring the production to life. Ahead, you can find out more about the award-winning cast members, and some exciting newcomers that you'll see in Ridley Road.
Agnes O'Casey as Vivien Epstein
This is the first television role for newcomer Agnes O'Casey, and the starring role in a BBC drama is certainly an incredible way to make a debut. Agnes plays the fictional Vivien Epstein, a Jewish hairdresser who flees her comfortable life in Manchester to track down her missing boyfriend who is involved with a London-based anti-fascist coalition. Vivien infiltrates the National Socialist Movement (a neo-Nazi movement in the UK) in an effort to protect the Jewish communities around Ridley Road, which is located in Dalston in London.
After graduating from Dublin's Lir Academy in 2020, Agnes had previously appeared in theatre school productions [3], with planned acting roles following her graduation put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. This could be the breakout role that puts the newcomer firmly on the list of stars to watch out for.
Tom Varey as Jack Morris
Tom stars as Jack Morris, Agnes's taxi driver boyfriend who becomes badly injured following his involvement with 62 Group, a Jewish community coalition that fought against rising neo-Nazism during postwar Britain — a group that was active in 1960s London in real life. Although certainly not a newcomer, Tom is one of the lesser known names in the historical drama, although eagle-eyed viewers may recognise him for his roles as Lord Cerwyn in Game of Thrones [4], Will Simpson in Ackley Bridge, and as PC Stuart O'Connell in all three series of Channel 4's No Offence.
Rory Kinnear as Colin Jordan
Rory Kinnear plays Colin Jordan, leader of the National Socialist Movement. His character is said to be an imposing and forthright activist who works to incite racism and rioting [5] through fanatical and passionate speeches. The acclaimed actor has a long and varied career in television, theatre, and film. His turns as Sir Fopling Flutter in The Man of Mode and Iago in Othello have both won him Laurence Olivier Awards. He is known to television viewers as The Creature in Penny Dreadful, while James Bond fans will recognise him for his role as Bill Tanner within the successful franchise — Kinnear reprises the role in this year's No Time to Die [6].
Eddie Marsan as Soly Malinovsky
Eddie stars as Soly Malinovsky, a taxi driver who is described as hot-headed and sharp-witted, and who is leader of the anti-fascist organisation 62 Group. Eddie has appeared steadily in both film and television during his 30-year acting career. He was the recipient of multiple awards for the 2008 film Happy-Go-Lucky and is well known for his role as Terry Donovan in all seven series of Ray Donovan.
Tracy-Ann Oberman as Nancy Malinovsky
Tracy-Ann Oberman joins the cast as Soly Malinovsky's wife, Nancy, a character said to be a smooth operator who plays a crucial role in the 62 Group operations. Tracy-Ann is best known to viewers for her role as Chrissie in Eastenders, whom she played between 2004 and 2005, and as Auntie Val in Channel 4's Friday Night Dinner. Besides those two well-known roles, she has also acted extensively in theatre and radio, and has penned plays for both, as well as comedy sketches for the BBC. Recently within television, viewers might recognise her form the Netflix comedy drama Afterlife with Ricky Gervais and Channel 4 hit It's a Sin [7], which aired to widespread critical acclaim regarding its tackling of the '90s AIDS crisis.
Samantha Spiro as Liza Epstein
Samantha stars in Ridley Road as Vivien's mother, Liza Epstein, whose life is set to change dramatically when she learns of her husband's secret involvement with the underground movements of the 62 Group. Throughout her career, Samantha has been the recipient of an Olivier Award, Joseph Jefferson Award, and British Comedy Award. On television, she currently stars in sketch show Tracey Breaks the News, and as Adam Groff's [8] mum in the Netflix hit Sex Education. She has also undertaken notable roles in Call the Midwife [9], and as Melessa Tarly in Game of Thrones.
Tamzin Outhwaite as Barbara Watson
Tamzin was propelled to national fame in 1998 with her role as Mel Owen in Eastenders, a role she has reprised several times since her initial departure in 2002, with the most recent being in 2019. Besides being a soap legend, Tamzin has worked steadily as a presenter and narrator, and will be best known recently for starring as DCI Sasha Miller in New Tricks. She joins the cast of Ridley Road as Barbara Watson, the owner of the hair salon where Vivien gets a job when she arrives in London. In the show, Barbara has witnessed racism first-hand towards her son, who is mixed-race.
Rita Tushingham as Nettie Jones
Veteran actor Rita Tushingham first appeared in the film A Taste of Honey in 1961, winning a BAFTA award, Cannes Film Festival Award, and a Golden Globe for her performance. She has since worked steadily in film and television over her long career, accruing further award nominations for her performances along the way. In recent years, viewers might recognise her for her appearances in Vera and The Pale Horse. The 79-year-old joins Ridley Road as Nettie Jones, Vivien's landlady in London. Although Nettie is self-sufficient, she is lonely after losing her three sons during World War II and is afraid of the pace of the changes happening around her.
Danny Hatchard as Lee
Another Eastenders veteran, Danny joined the cast of the popular soap in 2014 as Lee Carter. After leaving the role, he has made made various reprisals before joining the cast of Our Girl as Private Rhett Charlton in 2020. He joins Ridley Road as Lee, Colin Jordan's (Rory Kinnear) driver. Lee considers the National Socialist Movement to be his family, and is loyal to Colin even though the feeling isn't mutual.
Danny Sykes as Ronnie Malinovsky
Like Agnes O'Casey, Danny Sykes is another relative newcomer to our screens. He has appeared in a small amount of theatre productions, and his only television role to date is as Luke in series two of Sky Studios' Bulletproof. The BBC has revealed little information regarding his role in Ridley Road, but it appears that he could be related to Soly and Nancy Malinovsky, and therefore be a part of the 62 Group, working to oppose rising fascism.