SBS is thrilled to announce the cast of new Australian drama The Airport Chaplain, which is currently in production in Melbourne, Victoria. The eight-part series, led by acclaimed heavyweight Hugo Weaving (Slow Horses, The Royal Hotel) and Shabana Azeez, breakout star of the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning drama series The Pitt, captures the high-stakes world of a bustling international airport, told through the struggles and triumphs of the workers who keep it running.
Hugo Weaving says: “I’m delighted to be a part of this wonderful Australian drama, and to play Airport Chaplain Tobias Wallace. Joining such a talented ensemble and passionate creative team is a great pleasure, and I’m excited for audiences to immerse themselves in the incredible stories that unfold at the airport.”
Shabana Azeez says: “I'm so thrilled to be joining this incredibly iconic Australian TV team to work on The Airport Chaplain. What an honour to e bringing such a quirky, diverse cast of characters to life, in a world we all know so well. Airports are such connective places, and The Airport Chaplain is such a timely and heartwarming story – I can’t wait for it to be on our screens.”
Weaving and Azeez lead a stellar ensemble cast, including Claudia Karvan (Bump, Halifax: Retribution), Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High, The Narrow Road to the Deep North), Erroll Shand (All Her Fault, The Twelve), Kavitha Anandasivam (Aftertaste, The Hunting), Jackson Tozer (The Newsreader, All Her Fault), Elias Anton (Swift Street, Barracuda), Arka Das (Fake), Fanny Hanusin (Wentworth), Echo Palo (The Correspondent), Nicholas Denton (Dangerous Liaisons), George Mason (Run), Brenna Harding (The Twelve, Total Control), Michael Logo (Colin From Accounts), Priscilla Doueihy (Baby Teeth), Claude Jabbour (Last King of the Cross), Ras-Samuel (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes), and many more.
Tobias has never encountered a problem he couldn’t solve. Until he meets his formidable new boss Mira, who deems him a walking liability.
At the centre of The Airport Chaplain is Tobias Wallace (Weaving), a fast-moving fixer with a constantly ringing phone, pockets full of cash and an unorthodox approach to the daily crises unfolding inside the terminal. Convinced the airport couldn’t run without him, Tobias has never encountered a problem he couldn’t solve. Until he meets his formidable new boss Mira (Azeez), who deems him a walking liability. Their clash sparks a power struggle that reverberates through the terminal, affecting the cleaners, baggage handlers and passengers, who are all navigating their own hopes and challenges amid the constant chaos of life in the airport.
From award-winning Australian production company Wooden Horse, the series is co-created by Elise McCredie (The Clearing, Stateless, Jack Irish) and Jude Troy (Mother & Son, The Clearing, The Other Guy) who both serve as executive producers. It is written by Elise McCredie, Sarah Bassiuoni (Critical Incident), Mithila Gupta (Four Years Later), and Vidya Rajan (Why Are You Like This, Aunty Donna’s Coffee Cafe). The Airport Chaplain is directed by Bonnie Moir (Run) and Tig Terera (Swift Street).
“We’re incredibly excited to be working with this exceptional cast to bring such an ambitious and distinctive Australian drama to life. Hugo Weaving’s captivating humanity and Shabana Azeez’s fearless voice anchor a series that celebrates what binds us together. We can’t wait for audiences here and abroad to step into the world of The Airport Chaplain, ” says SBS Head of Scripted, Nakul Legh.
Co-Creator and executive producer Jude Troy of Wooden Horse of says: “Boasting a stellar line-up of hugely talented creatives, on and off screen, this prestige drama is inspired by a real-life encounter I had with an airport chaplain. Set in a high-stakes ecosystem of controlled chaos and transient people, the show speaks to humanity and connection – something the world needs right now.”
Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough says the series’ “deeply human storytelling” will resonate with audiences around the world. “Brought to life by the inimitable Hugo Weaving and acclaimed Shabana Azeez and told through the unique setting of an airport, The Airport Chaplain is perfectly poised to explore a spectrum of perspectives and nuanced stories.”
VicScreen’s CEO Caroline Pitcher says: “We’re delighted to support The Airport Chaplain... Attracting such an internationally acclaimed cast speaks to the creative team’s exceptional talent and powerful storytelling. With some of Victoria’s most exciting talent both in front of and behind the camera, the production is generating 170 jobs for local screen workers and injecting more than $8 million into the Victorian economy.”
The Airport Chaplain is a Wooden Horse production for SBS. Major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with SBS. Financed with support from VicScreen.
The Airport Chaplain will premiere on SBS and SBS On Demand this year.
