Margot Robbie's production company has announced plans to turn a podcast into a Hollywood film, with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Emilia Jones set to star in the movie about Irish women who turned to crime in 19th-century America.
The story started as an academic project on female Irish emigrants in Canada and the US by two history professors, Elaine Farrell of Queen's University Belfast and Leanne McCormick of Ulster University. The academics delved into dusty archives of police records, court cases, and prison reports to uncover a hidden world of crime among these women.
These women were often portrayed as victims of circumstance β impoverished girls and women who fled famine-stricken Ireland in search of a better life but ended up on the wrong side of the law. Their stories were largely erased from history books, but Farrell and McCormick's research shed light on their struggles and exploits.
The podcast, also called Bad Bridget, has gained popularity for its nuanced portrayal of these women, who faced abuse, poverty, and hunger in New York, Boston, and Toronto. The podcasters' term "Bad Bridgets" referred to the shadowy world of sex workers, thieves, drunkards, and killers that Irish women found themselves in.
The movie adaptation, directed by Rich Peppiatt, will follow two sisters who leave Ireland with their abusive father but end up in New York's underworld. The film stars Edgar-Jones, known for her role in Normal People, and Emilia Jones, who starred in Coda.
While the academics are excited about the project's success, they also acknowledge that they have handed over creative control to Peppiatt. "We'll leave the film up to Rich," McCormick said. "He is the expert and he has amazing ideas so we're really looking forward to seeing how it turns out."
The original project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which aimed to challenge the conventional narrative of female Irish emigrants as virtuous housewives. The research revealed that in 19th-century America, Irish women comprised a significant percentage of prison populations β including those accused of sex work and murder.
Fans of the podcast praised its portrayal of these "Bad Bridgets," who defied societal norms and fought for survival in the face of hardship. While the movie adaptation may take creative liberties with their stories, Farrell and McCormick hope that it will shed more light on this often-overlooked aspect of Irish-American history.
The story started as an academic project on female Irish emigrants in Canada and the US by two history professors, Elaine Farrell of Queen's University Belfast and Leanne McCormick of Ulster University. The academics delved into dusty archives of police records, court cases, and prison reports to uncover a hidden world of crime among these women.
These women were often portrayed as victims of circumstance β impoverished girls and women who fled famine-stricken Ireland in search of a better life but ended up on the wrong side of the law. Their stories were largely erased from history books, but Farrell and McCormick's research shed light on their struggles and exploits.
The podcast, also called Bad Bridget, has gained popularity for its nuanced portrayal of these women, who faced abuse, poverty, and hunger in New York, Boston, and Toronto. The podcasters' term "Bad Bridgets" referred to the shadowy world of sex workers, thieves, drunkards, and killers that Irish women found themselves in.
The movie adaptation, directed by Rich Peppiatt, will follow two sisters who leave Ireland with their abusive father but end up in New York's underworld. The film stars Edgar-Jones, known for her role in Normal People, and Emilia Jones, who starred in Coda.
While the academics are excited about the project's success, they also acknowledge that they have handed over creative control to Peppiatt. "We'll leave the film up to Rich," McCormick said. "He is the expert and he has amazing ideas so we're really looking forward to seeing how it turns out."
The original project was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, which aimed to challenge the conventional narrative of female Irish emigrants as virtuous housewives. The research revealed that in 19th-century America, Irish women comprised a significant percentage of prison populations β including those accused of sex work and murder.
Fans of the podcast praised its portrayal of these "Bad Bridgets," who defied societal norms and fought for survival in the face of hardship. While the movie adaptation may take creative liberties with their stories, Farrell and McCormick hope that it will shed more light on this often-overlooked aspect of Irish-American history.