Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro, was published in 2005 and quickly rose to the top of modern literature. Following its success, Mark Romanek created a film adaptation based on Alex Garland’s screenplay five years after it was first released. Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich served as producers. Never Let Me Go tells the story of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy, three childhood friends who learn painfully that they are not truly human but rather clones made for the sole purpose of donating their organs to affluent people. The story takes place in an alternate universe where human life expectancy exceeds 100 years. When they learn about the potential for “deferral,” which would allow couples who can demonstrate their love for one another to delay organ donations, they become caught up in a love triangle as adults.
This production, which received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics and received a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, stars Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, and Andrew Garfield. The same-named Japanese television series based on Ishiguro’s tale premiered in Japan in 2016. This past year, FX reportedly announced plans to adapt the book for television. The 2010 movie’s producers, MacDonald and Reich, would serve as executive producers on this project. Fans of the literature and the movie were disappointed when the plan was ultimately abandoned. Thankfully, the Never Let Me Go cast members continue to work on a number of noteworthy projects today. Here are a few examples.
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Andrea Riseborough
The actress who played Chrissie in the 2010 movie made her acting debut in Roger Michell’s comedy-drama Venus four years earlier. Andrea Riseborough has been in a number of well-known productions over the course of her career, including Possessor, Nocturnal Animals, and Battle of the Sexes. She has also been cast in a few TV shows, most notably the Italian criminal drama ZeroZeroZero from 2020. Andrea had a busy year in 2022 because she appeared in various shows. Her performances in Matilda the Musical as Mrs. Wormwood and To Leslie, for which she garnered a contentious Best Actress Oscar nomination, were standouts.
Andrew Garfield
A few years after playing Tommy in Never Let Me Go, the actor who played Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, as well as in Spider-Man: No Way Home with Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland, rose to international fame. Andrew Garfield, however, had other roles in recent years, appearing in a number of movies and television shows. He co-starred with Jessica Chastain in the movies Under the Silver Lake, Mainstream, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which are among the most significant ones. Along with Robin de Jesus, Alexandra Shipp, and Vanessa Hudgens, he co-starred in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature directorial debut, Tick, Tick…Boom!, for which he was also nominated for a Golden Globe.
Carey Mulligan
One year prior to playing Kathy in Never Let Me Go, Carey Mulligan became well-known for her part in the film An Education. Romanek’s work nonetheless increased her notoriety. The English actress has received a number of honours recently, including a Tony Award, three Golden Globes, and a British Academy Film Award. Mulligan has continued to play critically lauded roles in recent years, especially in cinema projects. Her most well-known movies include The Dig, which she starred in after taking Nicole Kidman’s place, Promising Young Woman, and Wildlife, which was directed for the first time by Paul Dano in 2018. She is anticipated to appear in the movies Wildwood, Spaceman, and Maestro this year; the last is directed by Bradley Cooper.
Charlie Rowe
The younger version of Andrew Garfield’s Tommy is portrayed by Charlie Rowe. Three years prior to his role in Never Let Me Go, the actor had his acting debut as a member of the cast of The Golden Compass. Although he was also involved in a few cinema projects at the time, he eventually specialised in TV shows. Rowe has recently been in the television shows Red Band Society and Salvation, as well as the Emmy Rossum-starring dramas Vanity Fair and Angelyne. Rowe returned to the big screen in 2019 to reprise his role as Ray Williams in the movie Rocketman. Three years later, he acted in the drama movie Gigi & Nate, which was based on the actual story of a quadriplegic man and a capuchin monkey.
Charlotte Rampling
English actress Charlotte Rampling has won critical praise for her roles in English, French, and Italian arthouse movies. Over the course of her career, she has also received nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award and the Academy Award. Rampling has primarily been in motion picture projects, although she has also appeared in a few TV shows, most notably Dexter and DNA, a Danish-produced show. Dune, the science fiction picture in which the actress portrayed Reverend Mother Mohiam, is one of the actress’ most well-liked recent releases. In this production’s sequel, which will be released in November, Rampling is anticipated to take on the same role once more. Rampling portrays Miss Emily, the headmistress of Hailsham, in the movie Never Let Me Go.
Domhnall Gleeson
In the movie, Domhnall Gleeson plays Rodney, one of the cloned individuals created for organ donation. Gleeson rose to fame for his role as Bill Weasley in the final two Harry Potter movies, in which he costarred with his father, Brendan Gleeson, not long after his appearance in Never Let Me Go. Domhnall gained recognition for his parts in movies like Ex Machina, The Revenant, and the Star Wars sequel trilogy after taking part in this successful franchise. He most recently worked on the 2021 movie Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. In addition, the actor has been in a number of TV episodes, including the psychological thriller The Patient, in which he co-starred with Steve Carell. He will likely co-star in the miniseries White House Plumbers this year with Lena Headey, Justin Theroux, Kiernan Shipka, Woody Harrelson, and the late Kiernan Shipka.
Ella Purnell
Ella Purnell made her acting debut in the film Never Let Me Go, in which she played a younger Ruth. The actress’ career started to take off in 2010 thanks to a variety of film and television productions. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Churchill, and Army of the Dead, which is currently her most recent picture and is scheduled for release in 2021, are some of her most well-known recent productions. Without a doubt, Purnell has recently shifted his acting focus to TV shows, and he has been cast in three successful shows: Yellowjackets, Star Trek: Prodigy, and the animated series Arcane. In the upcoming animated series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, she is also anticipated to make an appearance.
Keira Knightley
Keira Knightley, who at the time was well-known for her appearances in plays like Pirates of the Caribbean and Pride & Prejudice, completes the love triangle in Never Let Me Go as Ruth. Even while Knightley hasn’t been as busy in the industry lately as she once was, she continued to perform various roles in other projects in the years after her involvement in Romanek’s movie. She was cast in the Philippa Lowthorpe movie Misbehaviour in 2020, where she co-starred with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans, and Greg Kinnear. Knightley appeared in the animated movie Charlotte and the post-apocalyptic comedy Silent Night the following year. She is anticipated to make an appearance in the upcoming movie Boston Strangler, which is based on the real life account of the 1960s assassin.
Nathalie Richard
Nathalie Richard completes the roster as the mysterious Madame, Hailsham’s teacher and gallery manager in Never Let Me Go. Since her acting debut in the musical comedy film Window Shopping in 1986, this French actress has been actively engaged in the entertainment industry. Richard has had a number of appearances in recent years, especially in French movies. It is important to note the movies Happy End, After Love, and Neneh Superstar as some of her most notable works. Richard also played a minor part in the Alicia Vikander and Vincent Macaigne-led comedy-drama miniseries Irma Vep.
Sally Hawkins
Sally Hawkins plays Miss Lucy, the teacher who informs the students of Hailsham of their true calling in life, and she plays a significant part in the movie. Following Never Let Me Go, Hawkins starred in a number of highly popular movies in a variety of genres, including as Paddington and its follow-up, Godzilla, and Eternal Beauty. However, the portrayal of Elisa Esposito in Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water is unquestionably where she received the greatest praise in recent years. Hawkins recently had roles in the comedies-dramas Spencer, A Boy Called Christmas, and The Lost King, which featured Steve Coogan and Harry Lloyd. A few TV parts were also obtained by the actress, with her most recent appearance being in the British series Mammals, which also starred James Corden, Melia Kreiling, and Colin Morgan. She is anticipated to appear in the movie Wonka this year, which serves as a prequel and delves into the history of renowned chocolatier Willy Wonka.
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