British actor Jamie Thomas King is adapting James Titcombe's memoir Joshua's story: uncovering the Morecambe Bay maternity scandal for the big screen.
King, best known for his star, turns into Mad Men AND The Tudors, is writing a screenplay for Trusta film that will be produced together with his wife and Canadian actress Tamara Podemski as part of their new Blackbird Productions banner.
“I currently have no plans to star in or direct the project. But yes, I became interested in the topic after Benjamin's death and the subsequent lawsuit,” King said The Hollywood journalist Thursday.
In 2016, the preventable death of their second son, Benjamin, due to medical negligence occurred five days after Podemski gave birth following a delayed cesarean section. The star of Dog reservation AND External range he was 14 days overdue at the time and was rushed to the Royal United Hospital in Bath, Somerset, only for emergency surgery to be postponed.
Titcombe The story of Joshua The book, published in 2015, chronicled the death of her son Joshua when he was just nine days old in 2008 at Morecambe Bay Hospital in the UK. The death of Joshua Titcombe, due in part to an infection missed by medical staff, has sparked a landmark independent investigation into the 2015 Morecambe Bay report which highlighted medical failings that led to the unnecessary death of a mother and of 11 children.
King's other credits include ABC Private practiceCBS' Elementary, of the BBC Call the midwife and films like Mike Leigh's Mr. Turner and that of Tomas Alfredson Tinkerer, Tailer, Spy Soldier.
Blackbird Productions' first film project is that of director Michael Greyeyes The light before the sunwhich stars King as a famous self-help guru who returns from a book tour to a house suddenly filled by an estranged friend, played by Rick Roberts. The two friends then embark on a drug-induced contemplation of the human condition.
The light before the sun will have its world premiere at the Hamilton Film Festival next month.
Other projects in development at Blackbird include a 10-part comedy Happily ever after, created by Noelle Carbone and Podemski, who will star alongside King. Podemski is also at work on another 10-part comedy The sold outcreated by and starring Tamara Podemski, Jennifer Podemski and Sarah Podemski, otherwise known as The Podemski Sisters.
Tamara Podemski is also developing a feature film, Little Rock Talent Show. His other film credits include those on HBO Run and CBC Coroner AND The Rez series. She also won a Sundance Special Jury Award for Acting for her role in Sterlin Harjo Four sheets in the wind.