Sally Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations With Friends, is set to be adapted for television.
The 12-part TV series of the Irish author’s second book, Normal People – starring up and coming actors Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal – has become BBC Three’s biggest hit to date, with more than 23 million downloads globally.
Producers have now confirmed Conversations With Friends will be developed into a major TV series, while teasing a potential return of star-crossed young lovers Connell and Marianne for a second season of Normal People.
Hooray! Normal People bosses are adapting Sally Rooney’s debut novel Conversations With Friends into a major TV series following the success of the original show
Sally first published Conversations With Friends in 2017 and released Normal People in 2018, with the latter winning Costa Book Award and Irish Novel of the Year – to name a few accolades.
Teasing the future plans, Normal People co-producer Ed Guiney said about a second series following Connell and Marianne: ‘Not in the short term. We’ve turned our attention – we’re adapting Conversations with Friends as a television series.’
‘But maybe down the line we’ll come back to Connell and Marianne,’ he added.
BBC Three is currently in the early stages of adapting Conversations with Friends yet the broadcaster has been forced to delay filming for some of their biggest shows due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What a woman! Irish author Sally (pictured in 2017) first published Conversations With Friends in 2017 and released Normal People in 2018, with the latter winning Costa Book Award and Irish Novel of the Year – to name a few accolades
The book is set in Dublin about two college students Frances and Bobbi, and the strange, unexpected connection they forge with a married couple, Melissa and Nick.
It comes after Normal People stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who play the show’s leads Connell and Marianne, took part in a fun Q&A to answer fans’ questions.
Filmed prior to lockdown, the Irish actor, 24, and Cold Feet star, 21, answered an array of questions which included ‘who is the joker’ and ‘who is the bigger diva’ between the two.
Candid: It comes after Normal People stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who play the show’s leads Connell and Marianne, took part in a fun Q&A to answer fans’ questions
When asked ‘who is the bigger party animal’, Paul joked: ‘I felt like I became 42 at the end of this job. I just wanted to sleep. I was 23 at the start and by the end 47.’
While co-star Daisy admitted Paul would ‘slip away at 10pm’ and that it was the opposite for her as she quipped: ‘I just went a bit mad in Ireland, so many wonderful places to go out, everywhere is so far away in London!’
Although she said when asked if she is a ‘thrill seeker’: ‘I like to play it safe, I like a good night’s sleep and a night at home’ and added that Paul is more likely to buy the first round of drinks when out.
The Cold Feet actress also revealed that they ‘got tickled’ by the ‘stupidest things’ on set when asked about ‘who is the joker’ between the two.
Cheeky: Filmed prior to lockdown, the Irish actor, 24, and Cold Feet star, 21, answered an array of questions which included ‘who is the joker’ and ‘who is the bigger diva’ between the two
‘Party animal’: When asked ‘who is the bigger party animal’, Paul joked: ‘I felt like I became 42 at the end of this job. I just wanted to sleep. I was 23 at the start and by the end 47.’
Daisy confidently declared: ‘We’re both hilarious’ to which Paul joked: ‘That immediately undercuts any type of hilariousness!’
‘We both get tickled by the stupidest things, maybe neither of us are funny, we just get tickled by stuff,’ she added.
Daisy also denied that either of them are ‘divas’ as they’re both ‘very nice’ and they’re all good at accents.
While Paul admitted that he was the more nervous out of the two at the start of filming.
When in Ireland! While co-star Daisy admitted Paul would ‘slip away at 10pm’ and that it was the opposite for her as she quipped: ‘I just went a bit mad in Ireland, so many wonderful places to go out, everywhere is so far away in London!’
Giddy: The Cold Feet actress also revealed that they ‘got tickled’ by the ‘stupidest things’ on set when asked about ‘who is the joker’ between the two
The Q&A comes after Normal People became BBC’s sauciest show, thanks to its eye-watering number of sex scenes.
The corporation’s past shows Versailles and Wanderlust held the record for being the raunchiest series to date, until the current hit show landed on TV screens.
Normal People – which is shown on BBC Three – features over 41 minutes of amorous action across its 12 episodes.
Calculated by The Sun, the publication categorises these scenes as ‘sex, kissing or foreplay’, claiming that 12 percent of the show features these.
The second episode of the show features 11 minutes of sex between stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal.
Raunchy! The Q&A comes after Normal People became BBC’s sauciest show, thanks to its eye-watering number of sex scenes
The 12-part drama, based on Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel about the turbulent relationship between working-class Connell [Mescal] and well-heeled Marianne Sheridan [Edgar-Jones], has been praised for its unflinching take on sexuality.
The series has been downloaded over 23 million times.
A source said: ‘The writers wanted to stay true to the book and that featured a lot of sex. They didn’t want to portray it gratuitously though, and an intimacy coach was used to ensure the cast were happy at all times.
‘But there’s no denying there’s a lot of nakedness and lots of sex — it’s probably not one to watch with the parents!’
Paul recently revealed that he had to overcome crippling stage fright before he was able to follow the career which is now making his name.
Pictured: Daisy as Marianne and Paul as Connell in the BBC Three adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People
‘I had this affliction, whenever I’d get nervous, that I would stand really straight and sort of lock my knees,’ the Irishman revealed. ‘But because the shake seemed to be coming from my knees… my whole body would start to vibrate.
‘That would stop when I’d sing in front of three or four people after a time and I thought I had got over it.
‘Unfortunately, I got a rude awakening when I went out on stage in front of 600, 700 people and it came back with a vengeance.’
Despite his reluctance to face the crowds, he was quickly bitten by the acting bug.
‘It is a very sexy thing at 16 to be able to express the things that these characters are feeling,’ he told the Irishman Abroad podcast.
Sexy: Normal People – which is shown on BBC Three – features over 41 minutes of amorous action across its 12 episodes
‘Getting to do that [at school] on stage I found incredibly intoxicating and then, coming out and bowing at the end and hearing a roar from the people in your community like they are at a Rolling Stones concert…
‘I remember coming home and [thinking] I adored that.’
He studied at the Lir Academy drama school in Dublin, and three years ago he was cast as the lead in a stage production of The Great Gatsby. Several other theatre jobs followed, although Normal People is his first TV role.
It is set to make Paul a star both sides of the Atlantic, as it is also being carried on the American streaming service Hulu.
Social media is humming with positive comments about his acting and looks, with some fans tipping him as a future James Bond.
Such is the success of the show that a cheap Argos chain Connell wears around his neck has acquired its own Instagram page – with 60,000 followers.
Watch Normal People on BBC Three, or on Stan in Australia.
Love affair: The 12-part drama, based on Sally Rooney’s bestselling novel about the turbulent relationship between working-class Connell [Mescal] and well-heeled Marianne Sheridan [Edgar-Jones], has been praised for its unflinching take on sexuality