The First Looks at Jason Isaacs in 'Archie' Are Uncanny

When most people think of Cary Grant, they think of iconic movie moments, like his comedic turn as a New England doctor with a tiger with Katherine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby, his fast-talking New York newspaper editor of His Girl Friday, the Mid-Atlantic socialite caught in a love triangle in The Philadelphia Story, and of course, the indelible image of him as a New York Advertising executive running from the airplane in North by Northwest. One thing all these roles have in common is that Cary Grant plays an American; however, the actor, born Archibald Alec Leach, was Bristol-born and raised.

The little-known story of Cary Grant's formative years before he became a Hollywood superstar and legend after his passing in 1986 is now the subject of a four-part biographical series produced by Etta Pictures, the ITV Studio's label run by Jeff Pope (The Lost King). Pope conceived of the series and wrote all four installments of the project, co-produced by BritBox International, and will debut here in the U.S. as a BritBox exclusive. ITVX currently has the show on its November 2023 slate for the U.K., though a firm release date has not been announced on either side of the pond.

With its across-the-pond debut weeks away, ITVX and BritBox debuted the first images of Jason Isaacs (Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris) as the famous Hollywood legend, and some of them are quite uncanny from the right angle.

Thankfully, in some of them, you can see Isaacs' features through the makeup, making the whole thing a touch less unsettling.

Here's the series synopsis:

Born in Bristol, England in 1904, to parents Elsie and Elias, Archie narrates the story of a young Archibald Alexander Leach’s troubled childhood and how extreme poverty, his father’s adultery and the loss of his older brother, John, tore the family apart and sent his loving mother into a downward spiral of grief and depression. At 14 he auditioned for the music hall act, the Bob Pender Troupe, a band of acrobats, stilt walkers, clowns and comedians after seeing them perform at the Bristol Hippodrome.  Lean and athletic, he learned the art of stilt walking, and when the troupe went on tour to the US, teenage Archie was intoxicated by the land of opportunity. Believing he had no family to return to in the UK, he decided to stay in the US to try to make his way in showbusiness. 
 
With no thoughts of acting, a chance meeting with the comedian George Burns helped him find his first footing on the acting ladder and a contract with a movie studio who felt he needed to change his name, and Cary Grant was born. The drama intercuts with scenes from 1961 when at the height of his fame, living in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, the legendary actor was breaking all box office records, but desperately unhappy in his private life. 
 
With two failed marriages behind him, he began to woo an actress he’d seen on a TV show, Dyan Cannon. Thirty-three years his junior, Dyan, didn’t initially fall for his charms turning down his attempts to meet, because she didn’t feel they could ever be a match. Dashingly handsome, suave and sophisticated, Cary continued to pursue her, with introductions to his famous friends, until they eventually wed in Las Vegas in 1965.

Isaacs stars as the older version of Hollywood legend, with Dainton Anderson (Patrick Melrose), Calam Lynch (Bridgerton), and Oaklee Pendergast (The Missing) playing young versions of Archie Leach. Harriet Walter (Killing Eve) co-stars as Elsie Leach, Cary’s mother, with Kara Tointon (Mr Selfridge) as young Elsie. Laura Aikman (London Kills) also co-stars as Cary’s future wife, Dyan Cannon. Other co-stars include Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Les Misérables), Ian Pulston-Davies (DI Ray), Ian McNeice (Doc Martin), Jason Watkins (McDonald & Dodds), Lisa Faulkner (The Girl Before) and Niamh Cusack (The Tower) 

All four episodes were directed by Paul Andrew Williams (Broadchurch), who also serves as executive producer alongside Jeff Pope for Etta Pictures and Diederick Santer for BritBox International. Both Dyan Cannon and Cary Grant’s daughter, Jennifer Grant, also executive produced the series.

Archie is currently expected to stream on ITVX in the U.K. in November 2023 and on BritBox U.S. in December 2023.