Liam Neeson, Lesley Manville Join Indie Romance 'Normal People

Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn will direct the Ireland-set pic for Out of Orbit and Canderblinks Films.


Liam Neeson and Phantom Thread actress Lesley Manville are teaming up for Normal People, an Ireland-set drama about a couple dealing with the emotional impact of the wife's cancer diagnosis, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.


Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn will direct the indie for Out of Orbit and Canderblinks Films, with Bankside Films to start shopping the project to international buyers at Cannes.


Normal People, based on a screenplay by veteran Northern Ireland playwright Owen McCafferty, stars Neeson and Manville as a long-married couple who test their relationship and face an uncertain future when the wife is unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer.


Neeson is best known for dramatic roles like Schindler's List and Kinsey andaction pics like Taken, The Commuter and the upcoming Hard Powder, which also stars Emily Rossum and Laura Dern.


McCafferty's most recent play, Fire Below, was staged at the Lyric Theatre and the Abbey Theatre Dublin.


And Manville scored a supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread.