Disney+ has announced the cast for “Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes”, the four-part UK Original drama written and executive produced by Jeff Pope (“Philomena”, “Stan and Ollie”). The series is produced by Etta Pictures, Pope’s production label, which is part of ITV Studios, in association with Kwadjo Dajan’s KDJ Productions. Jean Charles de Menezes’ parents and other relatives are serving as consultants for the series.
“Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes” focuses on the events surrounding the tragic killing of innocent Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, after he is mistaken for a terrorist. Told from multiple perspectives of those involved, it examines how memory – both accurate and distorted – can be turned into fact and shape our understanding of the truth.
Set twenty years ago, as London reels from the devastating suicide bomb attacks of 7 July 2005, the Metropolitan Police launches a large-scale counter terrorism operation to prevent further attacks. Unbeknownst to them, another terrorist cell plots an assault that could equal the devastation of 7/7.
This second set of planned attacks fails, setting off one of the UK’s largest-ever manhunts and sparking a covert surveillance operation. As tension and uncertainty rises across the nation, a series of extraordinary events unfolds, leading to a critical misidentification. Jean Charles de Menezes, an innocent young Brazilian electrician on his way to work, is mistaken for a terrorist and shot dead at Stockwell station. What follows is a family’s fight for justice and answers, and the long-fought struggle to bring clarity to a situation that is clouded by confusion, and silence.
Newcomer Edison Alcaide plays Jean Charles de Menezes. Conleth Hill (“Game of Thrones”; “Power of Parker”) plays Sir Ian Blair, then Met Police Commissioner. Russell Tovey (“Years and Years”; “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”) plays one of Blair’s Deputy Assistant Commissioners, Brian Paddick alongside Max Beesley (“The Gentleman”; “Hijack”) who plays Assistant Commissioner Andy Hayman, leading on the Met’s investigation into the bombings.
Emily Mortimer (“Paddington in Peru”; “The Newsroom“) plays Cressida Dick, then Gold Commander of the surveillance operation pursuing those presumed responsible for the bombings. Daniel Mays (“Des”; “The Long Shadow”) plays Cliff Todd, Principal Forensic Investigator in the aftermath of the events of 7/7. Laura Aikman (“Archie”; “Gavin & Stacey”) also stars as Lana Vandenberghe, a secretary at the Independent Police Complaints Commission who plays a pivotal role in the unfolding of events. Alex Jennings (“The Crown”; “The Lady in the Van”) plays barrister, Michael Mansfield KC, who represents the family of Jean Charles de Menezes at the inquest into his shooting.
“This is an incredibly important story to tell, and we’ve got a heavyweight ensemble cast in place that will help us examine the events that led to the tragic shooting of the innocent Jean Charles de Menezes. He was just a commuter who was tracked for nearly an hour with surveillance failing to correctly identify him, before he was shot dead on a crowded tube train, leaving his family to try and shine a light on the critical errors that led to this devastating tragedy.”Writer and Executive Producer, Jeff Pope
“Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes” is written by Jeff Pope, produced by Kwadjo Dajan and directed by Paul Andrew Williams. Pope, Dajan and Williams also serve as executive producers. The series is executive produced for Disney+ by Lee Mason, Executive Director of Scripted.
The series will premiere on Disney+ in Spring 2025.
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