Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer signed on to play the lead role in Audrey’s Children on July 14th, according to Deadline. Dr. Audrey Evans, a healthcare pioneer and co-founder of Ronald McDonald House Charities, is the subject of this biopic directed by Ami Canaan Mann. The biography of pioneering paediatric oncologist Dr. Helen Evans, 97, will describe her journey from the early 1970s when she was initially designated Chief of Pediatric Oncology at Stanford University. Natalie Dormer, who won over GOT fans with a modest part as the politically astute Margaery Tyrell, is set to play the world-renowned oncologist.
With a long list of notable credits, including The Tudors on Showtime, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels on CBS, and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on Netflix, it’s no wonder that the English actress is in high demand. Doher appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger, Rush (Thor: Love and Thunder), and Mockingjay – Parts 1 and 2 with Chris Hemsworth.
Dormer was asked about her Evans role in an interview and had this to say: The role of Dr. Audrey Evans is one I’m tremendously pleased to have had the opportunity to perform. This documentary tells the story of a lady who has dedicated her whole professional life to preserving children’s lives and providing assistance to families who have faced unspeakable hardships. Audrey has done so with a lot of love and modesty in her heart. As an actor, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to portray her and to be a part of this incredible endeavour.”
During Evans’ time in oncology, where ninety per cent of patients perished from cancer, the story of Audrey’s Children will be told from her perspective. After being named Chief of Pediatric Oncology in the 1970s, Evans’ unconventional journey to co-founding a “world-famous organisation that provides housing and support to millions of families in 62 countries around the world,” the Ronald McDonald House Charities, will be depicted in a new documentary. As a child growing up in a middle-class household in England, Evans was accustomed to challenging social norms from an early age. She decided to pursue a profession as a doctor despite the fact that at the time, women were almost never interested in pursuing such a path.
Evans persevered in school despite her struggles with the memory element of learning, eventually acquiring the content through hands-on learning. She was particularly good at connecting with patients and their families on a personal level in the humanitarian aspect of medicine. After graduating from college in 1953, Evans moved abroad for a few years before returning to the United Kingdom in 1956. Without being phased, Evans continued to be appreciative of the chances she had been given and to focus on her career goals despite a clear absence of female colleagues. Upon her return to the U.S. in 1964, Evans found that her true interest lay in working with young people. Only five years later, she was hired as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s first-ever Chief of Pediatric Oncology. Finally, she built a paediatric cancer centre and spent much of her career there.
After years of study and intimate talks with Evans, Emmy-nominated Modern Hero producer Julia Fisher Farbman penned the screenplay for Audrey’s Children. The 2011 murder drama Texas Killing Fields, starring Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is director Mann’s most well-known production. Amasia’s Bradley Gallo and Michael Helfant, Clément Bauer, and Resonate’s Brent Emery, Suzanne Farwell, and Susan Cartsonis will produce and executive produce the film. The cast and release date of Audrey’s Children are yet unknown, although filming is scheduled to begin in September. Modern Hero has put together a film showcasing Audrey Evans’ legacy, which you can see here.
To innovate cancer treatment procedures and to offer accommodation and assistance for the families of sick children, a bright and unorthodox physician breached all the norms in 1970.