The Straits begins shooting today

ABC1’s new 10 hour drama, The Straits, produced by Matchbox Pictures’ Penny Chapman and Helen Panckhurst begins shooting today. Scottish actor Brian Cox (The Bourne Supremacy, Troy, Braveheart) joins the troupe of Australian actors assembling in Cairns and Torres Strait Islands.

The Montebello family are Far North Queensland’s Corleones, running drugs into Australia and guns and exotic animals out with ambitious bikies in Australia and Papau New Guinean raskols across the Strait also wanting a piece of the action. Cox plays Patriach Harry Montebello, with actress Rena Owen playing his part Torres Strait Island, part Maori wife, Kitty.

Joining Cox and Owen in the cast will be AFI Nominated Aaron Fa’aoso (East West 101, RAN), Logie winner Firass Dirani (Underbelly, Pitch Black) as well as new Australian talent; Jimi Bani (RAN, The Sapphires) and Suzannah Bayes-Morton (All Saints, The Tumbler), who together play the Montebello’s children.

In a statement, Matchbox Pictures’ Helen Panckhurst said “We have assembled an extraordinary cast, including a large number of talented Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinea actors. We are delighted to be collaborating once again with our Torres Strait Islander friends in showcasing this extraordinary part of the world.”