Netflix’s limited-series adaptation of The Age of Innocence has added three notable names to its ensemble.
Fiona Glascott, Belinda Bromilow, and Emma Shipp will join the production as series regulars, bringing fresh energy to Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel of love, duty, and social ambition in 19th-century New York.
The project, created and executive produced by Emma Frost (The White Queen, The White Princess) and produced by Chernin Entertainment, aims to deliver a modern, emotionally layered take on Wharton’s story while staying true to its period roots.
Who the new cast members play
- Fiona Glascott (Julia, Brooklyn, Fantastic Beasts) will play Augusta Welland, May’s mother, described as maternal, loving, and traditional.
- Belinda Bromilow (The Great, The Roses) is Adeline Archer, Newland’s independent, well-informed widowed mother who prefers solitude.
- Emma Shipp (Rivals, What It Feels Like for a Girl) joins as Janey Archer, Newland’s unmarried sister eager to change her fate.
An impressive supporting ensemble
The expanded cast also includes Hayley Mills (Trap), Ryan Morgan (Mix Tape), Will Tudor (Industry), John Light (Showtrial), Steven Pacey (Nuremberg), Kel Matsena (Mad Heidi), Lucia Balordi (A Testa Alta), Elly Roberts (Sex Education), Jack Cutmore-Scott (Frasier), Anna Madeley (All Creatures Great and Small), and Michael Cochrane (Downton Abbey).
Previously announced series regulars are Camila Morrone as Ellen Olenska, Kristine Froseth as May Welland, Ben Radcliffe as Newland Archer, and Margot Martindale as Mrs. Manson-Mingott.
A fresh but faithful adaptation
Based on Edith Wharton’s 1920 novel, the first book by a woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this adaptation promises both faithfulness to the source and a perspective designed to engage today’s audience. The logline frames the series as:
A passionate and heart-rending love triangle set in 19th-century New York, exploring freedom, duty, identity, and love in all its forms. The series asks whether we should be led by our hearts or by social expectation.
The original novel remains a landmark of American literature, while Martin Scorsese’s 1993 film brought it to modern audiences with lush period detail and critical acclaim. Netflix’s take aims to feel equally grand but with a sharper, contemporary emotional lens.
Creative team and production
- Showrunner / Writer / Executive Producer: Emma Frost (The White Queen, The White Princess, Jamaica Inn, Shameless)
- Executive Producers: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Tracey Cook (Chernin Entertainment), Shannon Murphy, Pavlina Hatoupis
- Executive Producer & Director (Episodes 1–3): Shannon Murphy (Babyteeth)
- Additional Directors: Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve), Natalia Leite (The Handmaid’s Tale)
The series will be produced by Chernin Entertainment, a frequent Netflix partner behind hits such as The Perfect Couple and the upcoming thriller Apex. Filming details have yet to be revealed, but the show is positioned as one of Netflix’s next prestige literary adaptations.
Why it matters
Netflix has a proven track record in turning book adaptations into cultural events (The Queen’s Gambit, Ripley, The Perfect Couple). With Emma Frost’s experience in period drama, a cast that mixes rising stars with acclaimed veterans, and a story that still resonates more than a century after publication, The Age of Innocence could become a major entry in the streamer’s slate of prestige dramas.
Key Details
- Title: The Age of Innocence (limited series)
- Based on: Edith Wharton’s 1920 Pulitzer Prize–winning novel
- Format: Limited series
- New Cast: Fiona Glascott (Augusta Welland), Belinda Bromilow (Adeline Archer), Emma Shipp (Janey Archer)
- Previously Announced Leads: Camila Morrone, Kristine Froseth, Ben Radcliffe, Margot Martindale
- Showrunner / Writer / EP: Emma Frost
- Executive Producers: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Tracey Cook, Shannon Murphy, Pavlina Hatoupis
- Directors: Shannon Murphy (eps. 1–3), Lisa Brühlmann, Natalia Leite
- Production Company: Chernin Entertainment for Netflix
