If you want peace, as the old saying goes, prepare for war. Before returning to the fray as Christian Grey in next year’s Fifty Shades Darker, Jamie Dornan has lined up a starring role in The Siege Of Jadotville, Netflix’s new wartime drama that recounts the moment in history when 150 Irish UN troops descended onto Congo to defuse social upheaval.
The year is 1961. With tensions between the USSR and America continuing to escalate, the UN has been established to extinguish any potential conflicts before they come to a head. The latest spike occurs in Congo, after “pro-western leader Moise Tshombe took control of the Katanga region and killed the Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba.” Led by Commandant Pat Quinlan (Dornan), The Siege of Jadotville then chronicles the remarkable true story of his outnumbered regiment of troops locking horns with close to 3,000 Congolese troops as they look to, well, siege control of Jadotville.
In the face of overwhelming odds, Quinlan and his men are left with only one option: to hunker down in their crude output and wage war in the name of peace. If anything, it’s certainly a big departure for Jamie Dornan, but thanks to an intense training regime ordered by director Richie Smyth – all cast members enlisted for a boot camp in South Africa during production – the Irishman looks the part at the forefront of Netflix’s war drama.
Mark Strong, Jason O’Mara, and Guillaume Canet are also among the acting talent involved in Netflix’s Siege Of Jadotville. Look for Richie Smyth’s military thriller to march onto the streaming service come October 7, although select cinemas throughout Ireland will be screening the feature from September 19.
