Dostoyevsky drama ‘The Gambler Wife’ adds ‘Living’ star Aimee Lou Wood

Aimee Lou Wood has joined the cast of new period drama The Gambler Wife.

Best known for her roles in Living and Sex Education, the BAFTA-winning English actress will star as Anna Dostoyevsky, the second wife of Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky.

The dark comedy is based on Andrew D. Kaufman’s book The Gambler Wife: A True Story of Love, Risk and the Woman Who Saved Dostoyevsky.

Małgorzata Szumowska and Kasper Bajon have adapted Kaufman’s book for the screen.

Set in the mid-19th century, The Gambler Wife will explore” the patriarchal, nationalistic Russian identity which keeps on waging the war between the west and the east which is as relevant today as it was two hundred years ago,” says director Szumowska.

American actor Matt Dillon (Crash) will be playing Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Watch a clip from Living here:

“I’m overjoyed to be working with the singular Malgo on this film,” said Aimee Lou Wood. “Her work hits me right in the heart and gut. She has such a wonderful ability to combine searingly truthful humanity with dream-like magic.

“Within reading the first few pages of the brilliant script I felt beyond excited to play Anna and bring to life her mix of stoicism, eccentricity, mischief and wisdom. And I can’t think of anyone better to play Dostoyevsky than Matt! I’m thrilled!”

Dillon added: “I am really excited to be a part of this project and to be working with Malgo to bring this incredible character to life.”

“The Gambler Wife follows Fyodor, or Fyedya to his intimates, and his much younger, pregnant wife, Anna, as they travel to Switzerland for their honeymoon,” the official synopsis tells us.

“Anna tolerates Fyedya’s gambling addiction as this will serve as inspiration for his burgeoning literary career. However, Fyedya’s compulsive roulette playing continues to cause problems for the couple until they are forced to return to a Russia that is not quite as they remember.”

We expect a release date for The Gambler Wife sometime in 2024.

Aimee Lou Wood received wide acclaim for her role in last year’s acclaimed 1950s drama Living, alongside Bill Nighy.

She’ll be back in the fourth (and possibly final season) of Netflix’s hit British teen series Sex Education this summer.

Andrew D. Kaufman’s book The Gambler Wife is available on Amazon.