Colin Farrell and Steve Coogan join Netflix’s Bad Bridgets
DIRECT ANSWER 40-60 words Netflix’s Irish period thriller Bad Bridgets just added major star power, with Colin Farrell and Steve Coogan joining leads Emilia Jones and Alison Oliver. The project matters because it’s gearing up to film in Northern Ireland in July and comes from Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt—signaling a high-profile Netflix release in the works.
If you follow casting news and upcoming Netflix films, this is one to watch: a buzzy Irish-set thriller is moving closer to cameras rolling, and the ensemble keeps getting bigger. Here’s what’s confirmed so far, based on Variety.
Key Takeaways
- New cast additions: Colin Farrell, Steve Coogan, Charlie Heaton, Domhnall Gleeson, Himesh Patel, Niamh Algar and Simone Kirby have joined.
- What it is: An Irish period thriller directed by Rich Peppiatt.
- What it’s based on: Inspired by the book Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem, and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women.
- When/where it films: Set to start filming in Northern Ireland in July, with filming taking place in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
- Netflix involvement: Netflix is releasing the film, which is being produced by LuckyChap.
Who is joining Emilia Jones and Alison Oliver in Bad Bridgets?
The latest casting update brings a stacked lineup to Bad Bridgets. Variety reports that Colin Farrell and Steve Coogan are among the new additions, alongside Charlie Heaton, Domhnall Gleeson, Himesh Patel, Niamh Algar and Simone Kirby.
They join the previously announced leads Emilia Jones and Alison Oliver, rounding out an ensemble that’s likely to be a major marketing hook once Netflix begins rolling out first-look material.
What is Bad Bridgets about, and why are people talking about it?
Bad Bridgets is set in the 19th century against the backdrop of a famine-ravaged Ireland. According to Variety, the story follows two sisters who make a treacherous journey to America to escape an abusive father, poverty and hunger.
Once in New York, they join the ranks of other Irish women—described as the so-called “Bridgets”—and mayhem follows in the city. The setup blends period stakes with thriller momentum, which is part of why the project has been drawing attention as it moves toward production.
When does Bad Bridgets start filming, and where will it shoot?
The timing is a key reason this casting matters right now: Variety says the production is gearing up to start filming in Northern Ireland in July. The report also notes filming will take place in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
That schedule signals the project is in active ramp-up mode, where late-stage casting announcements typically precede production logistics, crew confirmations, and the first wave of official images.
Who’s making Bad Bridgets for Netflix?
Variety describes Bad Bridgets as an Irish period thriller from Rich Peppiatt, the director of Kneecap. Netflix is releasing the film, and it’s being produced by LuckyChap.
The film is inspired by the book Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem, and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women by Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick. Variety reports the book was optioned by Peppiatt and Kneecap producer Trevor Birney in 2025, with the two producing alongside LuckyChap for their Coup d’Etat Films banner. Cáit Collins serves as executive producer.
The project was developed with support from Queen’s University Belfast and is being produced with support from Northern Ireland Screen, per Variety.
More Netflix casting and release updates are in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.