‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’ First Look Photos & Premiere Date Unveiled by Peacock
A star-studded cast leads the way for Peacock‘s upcoming original drama series, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on the international best-selling novel of the same name by Heather Morris.
Inspired by the real-life story of Lali and Gita Sokolov, who met while prisoners in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp during the Holocaust, the series stars Academy Award nominee Harvey Keitel (The Irishman), Emmy Award nominee Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets), Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid), Anna Próchniak (Baptiste), and Jonas Nay (Deutschland 89).
The series, which also features a score from multi-time Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve, is set to premiere on Thursday, May 2, 2024, with all six episodes available to stream on Peacock.
Peacock has released some first-look photos from the series, which show Keitel as holocaust survivor Lali Sokolov and Lynskey as author Heather Morris, who met with Lali for three years until his death in 2006 to hear his story.
Harvey Keitel as Lali Sokolov; Martin Mlaka / Sky UK
The images also show Hauer-King as young Lali at a concentration camp, including the moment where he meets Próchniak’s Gita Furman for the first time while tattooing her.
Jonah Hauer-King as Lali Sokolov meets Anna Próchniak as Gita Furman ; Martin Mlaka / Sky UK
Speaking on the incredible cast, executive producer Claire Mundell said having Keitel involved was “a dream come true,” noting, “The commitment and authenticity with which Harvey approached the portrayal of Lali was breath-taking to watch.”
She continued, “It was important that both young and old Lali were played authentically by Jewish actors who were able to deliver the part with nuance, empathy, compassion, and the complexity that we need from that character.”
Jonah Hauer-King as Lali Sokolov with Jonas Nay as Nazi officer Stefan Baretzki; Martin Mlaka / Sky UK
Mundell also praised Lynskey, saying that for Heather, they “needed an actress with innate empathy, inquisitiveness and openness, someone who could portray the mix of the incredible feat that the real Heather Morris took upon herself.”
Unlike the book, the screen adaptation is framed around the meetings between Lali and Heather, where the former slowly begins to trust the author and opens up about the full horrors of the trauma he still suffers through as an elderly survivor.
The story will include flashbacks to Auschwitz, where Lali and Gita fall in love while under constant guard from a volatile Nazi SS officer Baretzki (Nay). With courage and determination, Lali and Gita battle through the odds to keep each other alive.
Jonah Hauer-King as Lali Sokolov; Martin Mlaka / Sky UK
As for young Lali and Gita, Mundell said, “We knew from the beginning that we wanted Jonah to play Young Lali. Once Jonah was on board, the challenge was on to find the perfect Gita. Anna was the most wonderful discovery for us during the casting process. She stood out so clearly and it became increasingly clear that only Jonah and Anna could portray the humanity, the spirit, the resistance, and the defiance of Lali and Gita.”
Tali Shalom-Ezer, who directs the series, spoke about visiting real locations to make sure what they were portraying on screen was accurate.
“Because we’re recreating historical locations, as a first point of call, Claire and I went to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau alongside our amazing Heads of Department,” Shalom-Ezer shared. “I can remember discussing with David Katznelson, the cinematographer, and Nili Feller my lead editor, what a huge challenge it would be to recreate this concentration camp on screen.”
Mundell added, “We began developing this story five years ago, and I was struck by how the book became a bestseller during a time when awareness of the Holocaust was in decline,” Mundell added. “Our series tells one man’s story and experience of Auschwitz and how he found love in the darkest of places. It is a story that is as important today as it ever was.”
The Tattooist of Auschwitz, premiere, May 2, Peacock
