'Swallowing diamonds was my life.' Sophie Turner stars as infamous jewel thief in Joan
‘We haven't seen a female Breaking Bad before.’ New series now on CBC Gem
Fierce, extraordinary, vulnerable — these words perfectly capture Joan Harrington, U.K.'s most infamous jewel thief whose life story inspires the gripping six-part series, Joan now available on CBC Gem.
Watch ｜The official trailer
"We haven't seen a female Breaking Bad before," says Anna Symon, creator and writer of the series, "I hope the audience will find something to love in Joan. She is a survivor, with all the odds stacked against her, and a smart, brave woman."
What is Joan about?
Set against the backdrop of 1980s London, Joan Harrington is a deeply scarred but devoted mother who turns to crime to build a new life for herself and her six-year-old daughter Kelly, who she is forced to put into foster care when she escapes her abusive husband.
"It was the thrill of my career to be able to play someone like Joan," says actor Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones, X-Men) who stars in the role, "She's all these things: Mother, lover, liar, thief. There really is so much to her."
The series follows Joan as she notoriously steals uncut diamonds from a jewellery store where she works. She then meets Boise (played by Frank Dilliane), a charming antiques dealer and professional thief who teaches her the tricks of the trade. Together, they live the high life, stealing thousands of pounds worth of priceless gems and heirlooms each week.
How much of Joan is based on the true story?
The series is inspired by Harrington's memoir, 'I Am What I Am: The True Story of Britain's Most Notorious Jewel Thief.' Many of the scenes did happen in real life — including the circumstances of her daring first heist.
Watch ｜Joan steals uncut diamonds from her employer
In her book, Hannington writes, "Swallowing diamonds was my life, my buzz, my drug. It was the only thing that I really liked doing. To me, I had a gift."
"It's the gateway into the life that she leads, so we needed it to be an obsession and a fascination with this sparkling thing that's been so unattainable her whole life and now it's right there in front of her," says Turner who recreated the scene for the series, "I was given gummy diamonds to swallow but they were so sticky they didn't come off the paper, so I ended up just putting the real ones in the paper. But they were cubic zirconia so I didn't swallow them."
The real-life Joan was a consultant on the series from its inception. "The first thing she said was 'I don't want you to do this unless you're going to tell the warts and all,'" says Symon. Many scenes, particularly from the first episode, are taken from the memoir including being arrested for stealing a car to visit her daughter in foster care. "I think she wanted people to know this behaviour came from somewhere."
Who else appears in the series?
In addition to a standout performance by Sophie Turner as Joan, Frank Dilliane (Fear of the Walking Dead, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince) shines as her partner in love and crime, Boise. The cast of Joan also features Kirsty J Curtis (Rise of the Footsoldier, Match Not Found) as her older sister, salon owner Nancy, Gershwyn Eustache (A Spy Among Friends, Top Boy) as Boise's acquaintance Albie who's made a new life in Spain with his wife Val played by Laura Aikman (Archie, Breeders).
"I was very intrigued by Joan," says Dillian, "I really loved that the story was told from a female perspective."
Pay attention to an interesting cameo in the first episode. In real life, Joan and her second husband Ronald Thomas Hannington (known as Boise in the series) had a son called Benny. Now a 37-year-old rapper, he plays a bartender in the first episode. "We got to hang out with him," remembers Turner, "which was so cool because it's the moment his parents meet."
Watch｜Joan and Boise meet in a bar
What was London like in the 1980s?
Watching Joan is like taking a time machine back to the 1980s, an era known for its bold fashion trends and iconic music. From the opening scene cut to The Pretender's Brass in Pocket, the series showcases the era in all its decadent glory.
"It was a world of extravagance. If you had the opportunity to show things off, then you would," says Eustache. "You could lead a glamorous life, smuggle gold in from England to Spain and have wild parties in all kinds of places."
The big coats paired with even bigger hair flawlessly capture the spirit of the decade. "The higher the hair the closer to God, right?" says Aiklen about the over-the-top style she wore as she played Val, who turns a blind eye to her partner's dodgy dealings. Curtis who played Nancy, Joan's sister cut her long ginger hair into the perfect '80s bob, "I reckon it needs its own credit, to be fair. I rocked that for a good eight months."
Get ready for a wild ride, from the neon-soaked vibes of the '80s to the thrilling world of professional jewel thieves, Joan is a series you won't soon forget. "It's about a woman in a man's world, having to duck and weave just to keep her head above water and remain true to herself," says Dillane, "and I hope that women will feel empowered by Joan's story."
Watch Joan on CBC Gem now.
