‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ TV Series Casts ‘GoT’ Star Rose Leslie & Theo James as Leads

Rose Leslie Theo James
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

There’s a new (very) complicated love story coming to HBO, and those portraying the characters at the heart of it have been cast.

Rose Leslie and Theo James will play Clare and Henry in the TV version of The Time Traveler’s WifeDeadline reports. (Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana starred in these roles in the 2009 movie.) The story — Henry randomly travels through time, including to his wife Clare’s past — is based on Audrey Niffenegger’s novel.

According to the report, the HBO series’ Clare is “fiery, clever and unstoppable,” and Henry — at different ages — has been visiting her since she was six years old. It’s not until she’s older that she realizes he’s not just an imaginary friend. “He’s from her future,” the description continues. “Clare has a literal date with destiny.” But when she meets him when he’s young, he won’t know her yet.

As for Henry, he’s been traveling through time randomly — such as when he’s “stressed or worried [or] for no reason at all” — naked, from the age of 8, due to “a condition,” and how long he’ll stay when he travels to any given place is unknown to him.

“His life is a rollercoaster of constant danger and white-knuckle survival,” according to the description. That changes when he meets Clare, who “claims to have known him all her life.”

Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) adapted the series and serves as executive producer and writer. Joining him as EPs are Sue Vertue and Brian Minchin.

Leslie’s previous TV credits include Game of Thrones and The Good Fight, while James’ are Sanditon and Golden Boy.