The Walt Disney Company has today announced the stellar cast of the Disney+ Hotstar original series “The Artful Dodger” as filming commences.  “The Artful Dodger” is a premium international character drama set in 1850s Australia and is a well-known and much-loved story with a twist.

Across eight episodes the scripted series explores the adult double life of Charles Dickens’ famous prince of thieves – Dodger – now a surgeon, but who can’t shake his predilection for crime. From high-octane heists to life-and-death surgeries, glittering parties to colourful streets, this series is a rock’n’roll tale with an Aussie connection.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Pistol, The Queen’s Gambit), David Thewlis (Landscapers, Fargo) and Australia’s own Maia Mitchell (Good Trouble, The Fosters) lead the stellar-cast, with Brodie-Sangster taking on the role of “Jack Dawkins” aka “The Artful Dodger,” Thewlis as “Fagin” and Mitchell as “Lady Belle Fox”.

The cast includes an incredible line-up of Australian talent, featuring Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Judy and Punch), Miranda Tapsell (Top End Wedding, The Sapphires), Tim Minchin (Upright, Californication), Susie Porter (Wentworth, Gold), Kym Gyngell (Love Me, Black Snow) Damien Garvey (Nautilus, Jack Irish), Jessica De Gouw (The Secrets She Keeps, The Drover’s Wife), Andrea Demetriades (The End, Seven Types of Ambiguity), Luke Carroll (Upright, Preppers), and English-born, Australian export Huw Higginson (Total Control, Janet King).

Joining the cast are rising talents, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Nicholas Burton, Jude Hyland, Finn Treacy and Albert Latailakepa.

“The Artful Dodger” is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and produced by Beach Road Pictures and SPT’s Curio Pictures. The series is Co-Created and Executive Produced by Beach Road Pictures’ David Maher & David Taylor. Jo Porter represents Curio Pictures as Executive Producer. James McNamara (Co-Creator and Co-Executive Producer), Andrew Knight (Co-Executive Producer and Writer), Jeffrey Walker (Co-Executive Producer and Director) and Ross Allsop (Producer) complete the producing team.

Jeffrey Walker (Young Rock, The Commons, Modern Family) serves as set up director and Co-Executive Producer, with Directors Corrie Chen (New Gold Mountain, Bad Behaviour) and Gracie Otto (Heartbreak High, The Clearing) and the series is written by James McNamara, Andrew Knight, Vivienne Walshe and Dan Knight, with Miranda Tapsell.

The series will be filmed in New South Wales, Australia, with financial support provided by the State Government through Screen NSW’s Made In NSW fund.