Michelle Dockery will star in ‘Big Little Lies’ creator’s new Netflix drama

Netflix has announced the cast for its upcoming adaptation of Anatomy of a Scandal.

Sarah Vaughan’s 2017 novel is about a scandal among the British privileged elite and the women caught up in its wake.

Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Sienna Miller (The Girl), and Rupert Friend (Homeland) will play the three main roles.

Anatomy of a Scandal follows a high-flying Westminster politician (Friend) whose marriage unravels when he is accused of rape. His wife (Miller) is certain he’s innocent, while the prosecutor (Dockery) is sure that he’s guilty.

Downton star Michelle Dockery’s character, Kate Woodcroft, QC, is described as “a steely criminal barrister specialising in prosecuting sexual crimes who’s risen quickly in her field, and just got handed the case of a lifetime.”

Netflix has called the show “an insightful and suspenseful series about sexual consent and privilege set in London.”

The six one-hour episodes are being produced by Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley and House Of Cards showrunner Melissa James Gibson, with S.J. Clarkson (Succession) directing.

Anatomy of a Scandal is expected to begin filming in the UK in the coming months.

It’ll premiere exclusively on Netflix worldwide in 2021.

It was recently revealed that the second Downton Abbey movie will start production next year, with Michelle Dockery returning as Lady Mary.

Sarah Vaughan’s novel Anatomy of a Scandal is available on Amazon.