Aussie star Judy Davis’s mystery big news week

It’s been a big week for Judy Davis, with an award nomination and news she is set to star in a new Australian series. 

It has just been announced she will be in Mystery Road – The Series, alongside Aaron Pedersen. The series is a six part spin-off from Ivan Sen’s internationally acclaimed and award winning feature films Mystery Road and Goldstone.

The 62-year-old Australian actress has won numerous awards throughout her career, but she’s also just been listed as a nominee for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie for her role in Feud: Bette and Joan. In the show Davis plays gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. She’s up against two Big Little Lies co-stars Laura Dern and Sailene Woodley, as well as her own Feud co-star Jackie Hoffman, plus Michelle Pfeiffer (The Wizard of Lies) and Regina King (American Crime).

As well as playing the lead in Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, she has been in numerous movies, including My Brilliant Career, A Passage to India and The Dressmaker.

Filming for Mystery Road will commence in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia this August. The series will be produced by Bunya Productions for the ABC with funding support from Screenwest, Screen Australia, the Western Australian Regional Film Fund supported by Royalties for Regions and Create NSW, produced in association with all3media International who will be handling the international sales.

In the spin-off Pederson continues his role as Detective Jay Swan, assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of two young farm hands on an outback cattle station.  One is a local Indigenous footy hero, and the other a backpacker. Working with local cop Emma James, played by Davis, Jay’s investigation uncovers a past injustice that threatens the fabric of the whole community.

Bunya Productions’ Greer Simpkin said it is a great honour to be working with Davis and Pedersen, as well as accomplished director Rachel Perkins on the series. “Our hope is that the series will not only be an entertaining and compelling mystery, but will also say something about the Australian identity,” Green Simpkin said.

The series is set to premiere on the ABC in 2018.

Have you seen the earlier productions? Is this something you are looking forward to watching?