Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell to Star in HBO, BBC Drama Series ‘Half Man’

Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell are set to star in “Half Man,” a six-episode drama series that is being co-produced by HBO and the BBC.

“Half Man,” formerly known as “Lions,” is created, written and executive produced by Gadd, the Emmy-winning creator and star of Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer.” BBC had commissioned “Lions” — from Banijay UK’s Mam Tor Prods. — back in February, prior to the spring premiere of “Baby Reindeer” on Netflix, where it quickly became a smash hit and skyrocketed Gadd to the A-list.

HBO joined the project as a co-producer in June. At the time, Gadd was listed as the creator, writer and executive producer of “Lions” the series — but wasn’t attached to star in it.

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Now, not only has it been renamed “Half Man,” but Gadd will now indeed star in it. Gadd and Bell (“All of Us Strangers,” “Rocket Man”) are playing estranged “brothers” Ruben and Niall, respectively, in the series, which will begin filming in 2025 in Scotland.

The official synopsis reads, “When Niall’s estranged ‘brother’ Ruben shows up at his wedding, it leads to an explosion of violence that catapults us back through their lives. Spanning almost forty years from the 1980s to the present day, this ambitious series will cover the highs and lows of the brothers’ relationship, from them meeting as teenagers to their falling out as adults — with all the good, bad, terrible, funny, angry, and challenging moments along the way. It will capture the wild energy of a changing city — a changing world, even — and try to get to the bottom of the difficult question… What does it mean to be a man?”   

Along with Gadd, executive producers include Tally Garner and Morven Reid from Mam Tor Productions (a Banjilay UK company), Gaynor Holmes for the BBC and Gavin Smith for BBC Scotland. The series will be directed by Alexandra Brodski (“Somewhere Boy,” “Rivals”) and Eshref Reybrouck (“Ferry: The Series,” “Cheyenne & Lola”), while Wendy Griffin (“Limbo,” “The Lost King”) is producing. The show is set to be shot in Scotland.

“Half Man” is made by Mam Tor Productions for HBO, BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Scotland. Banijay Rights handles international distribution outside the U.K., Ireland and U.S. Screen Scotland is supporting the production.

Gadd is repped by UTA; Markham, Froggatt and Irwin; and Individual Artist Management. Bell is repped by CAA; 3 Artists Entertainment; and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.