The classic novel “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding is set to be adapted for television for the first time, and the search is underway to discover the future stars who will take on the roles.
Eleven, the production company behind hits like “Sex Education” and “Ten Pound Poms,” has issued a call for boys aged between 10 and 13 to be considered for roles in this highly anticipated four-part drama written by acclaimed writer Jack Thorne. Filming is scheduled to commence in Australia from April 2024 onwards.
Leading the casting process is BAFTA award-winning casting director Nina Gold, known for her work on acclaimed titles such as “Game of Thrones,” “The Crown,” and most recently, “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.” Gold was also responsible for casting “The Power of the Dog,” which secured the BAFTA for Best Film and received nominations for best actor and three supporting actors at the 2022 Oscars.
The production is in search of children aged between 10 and 13 to take on the pivotal roles of the main boys in this exciting adaptation of “Lord of the Flies,” which will stay true to the classic book in its portrayal of the characters. No prior acting experience is necessary.
Parents and guardians are invited to apply via email to lotf@ninagold.co.uk.
They should send in the application on behalf of the boys, recorded on a phone, providing the child’s name, age, and general location in the UK. Additionally, the boys are requested to share with the producers, in 30 seconds or less, what they would choose to have with them if they were stranded on a remote tropical island, and explain why. Parents and guardians must clarify their relationship to the applicant and confirm that they have their consent to be considered for a role in this production. Please use this email address exclusively for applications. Unfortunately, the production team won’t be able to offer individual feedback on submissions.
Penned by Jack Thorne (known for “National Treasure,” “Help,” and “Best Interests”) and executive produced by Eleven’s Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell (“Ten Pound Poms,” “Sex Education”), “Lord of the Flies” is a 4-part drama, each episode lasting 60 minutes, slated for broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. It narrates the tale of a group of young boys who find themselves marooned on a tropical island.
In an effort to maintain order, the boys establish a system of governance led by Ralph, with intellectual support from Piggy. However, Jack, entrusted with the responsibility of tending to the signal fire, becomes more engrossed in hunting and power struggles, leading other boys astray from the group’s structure and, ultimately, from hope to tragedy.
“I think casting these parts is a daunting job,” says Jack Thorne. “We have to tell a complicated story and it’ll need a remarkable cast, so I’m thrilled that Nina will be in charge of the process. I can’t wait for us all to get dug in.”
Nina Gold says: “I’m looking forward to the challenge of finding exciting, talented, young actors for these characters that are etched on my own childhood memory, now being brought to a modern audience by this brilliant adaptation.”
“There is no-one better suited to the job of casting these extraordinary roles than Nina, so we’re delighted that she will be taking the reins,” says Eleven’s Joel Wilson. “With Nina’s help we’re convinced this group of boys and the journey they take us on will be as indelibly etched on our minds as the book is for those who have read it.”
“Lord of the Flies,” originally published by Faber for a then-unknown author, has been a staple on English curricula for the past 70 years. William Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.
“Lord of the Flies” is a production by Eleven, backed by Sony Pictures Television, for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The series is scripted by Jack Thorne, with executive producers Joel Wilson and Jamie Campbell for Eleven, and Nawfal Faizullah for the BBC.
