Sam Heughan and Eleanor Tomlinson to Lead STARZ Thriller 'The Couple Next Door'
Eleanor Tomlinson and Sam Heughan will co-star in The Couple Next Door for Starz.
Starz/BBC
Though period drama fan favorites Sam Heughan and Eleanor Tomlinson are probably best known for their performances on a pair of popular historical romantic dramas -- Outlander and Poldark, respectively -- the pair are finally joining forces to tell a decidedly modern sort of story. (And which will almost certainly involve less restrictive clothing.)
The pair is set to co-star in the upcoming thriller The Couple Next Door from cable network Starz and U.K. network Channel 4, a deliciously dark, psychological drama that explores the stultifying claustrophobia of suburbia and the fallout of chasing your darkest desires.
Loosely adapted from the Dutch series New Neighbours, the six-part series hails from Eagle Eye Drama, the production company behind the English language remakes of Professor T and Before We Die, as well as the lavish period drama Hotel Portofino. It follows the story of Evie (Tomlinson) and Pete (Alfred Enoch), a couple who moves into an upscale neighborhood, full of nosy neighbors and competitive status seekers.
The pair soon makes friends with the couple who live next next door, alpha traffic cop Danny (Heughan) and his wife, a glamorous yoga instructor named Becka (Jessica De Gouw). But after Evie and Danny share a passionate night together, their lives become entangled in a way that will change everything for both couples.
Eleanor Tomlinson in the final season of "Poldark"
(Photo: Courtesy of Mammoth Screen for BBC and MASTERPIECE)
The Couple Next Door is written by David Allison (Marcella), and is directed by award-winning director Dries Vos (Suspect). The series is produced by Jen Burnet and executive produced by Jo McGrath, Walter Iuzzolino, and Alison Kee.
“l’m thrilled to be working with Eagle Eye Drama and director Dries Vos again and adding a third series with my STARZ family," Heughan said in a statement. "Dries has a unique visual flair and I’m sure we’re going to make something special.”
"Evie is an exciting challenge for me - a girl whose world is turned upside down as she navigates devastating trauma, which isn’t helped by unresolved issues from her past," Tomlinson added. "We have an excellent team on board, and I am looking forward to exploring this dark and complicated world alongside Sam and our director Dries.”
Filming is currently underway in Leeds and Belgium. The Couple Next Door will be available on Channel 4 in the U.K. and on Starz in the U.S. and Canada.
