India Amarteifio’s star-making performance in the Bridgerton prequel Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story earned her wide recognition as the series became one of Netflix’s most popular English-language TV series of all time with over 80 million views. Her talent is now being demanded again for another romance as she has been cast in a new coming-of-age romance movie that will mark her first major movie starring role. Per Deadline, the project, titled, Into The Deep Blue will see Amarteifio co-star opposite newcomer Damian Hardung who currently has audiences swooning with his performance as James Beaufort in Prime Video’s smash hit German-language television series, Maxton Hall — The World Between Us.
Amarteifo and Hardung will play the characters Fiona and Nick who become best friends after meeting in group therapy. Their connection rises from a common experience as both are struggling to piece their lives together after experiencing loss. As their friendship deepens, feelings start to develop, but as the synopsis reads: “the last thing they need is to fall in love.” “When a weekend trip brings their deepening feelings to the surface, they might sooner cut each other off than face them.” It reads like a classic friends-to-lovers trope and with both Amarteifo and Hardung proving they have what it takes to evoke the feels from audiences, it appears romance lovers are in for a treat.
Writer and novelist Jennifer Archer penned the script for the movie, which was picked for the 2022 Nicholl Fellowship by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If anything, that’s a good sign, as previous winners of the Fellowship, including Top Gun: Maverick, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, and The Equalizer were all successful. Jonathan Wright, known for Sony’s Awakening the Zodiac will direct with filming to take place in the UK. Producers for the project include Aletha Shepherd and Jennifer Presser representing Shot of Tea. In a statement, Pesser said:
“This film is such an amazing story of grief, friendship, and growth, and I couldn’t be more excited to be working with this amazing group of talent. We are thrilled to have India and Damian bring these complex characters to life. Their raw talent is something to behold and will elevate this film to the next level.”
What Else Have India Amarteifio And Damian Hardung Been In?
Amarteifio cut her teeth on the stage before making her TV debut in the BBC One film Gangsta Granny. Her relationship with BBC One continued with appearances in the miniseries, The Interceptor and Doctor Who series 9 in an episode titled, “The Magician’s Apprentice.” She also appeared in Disney’s The Evermoor Chronicles before making her feature film debut in the 2019 comedy-drama Military Wives. She appeared in episodes of The Midwich Cuckoos before landing her Queen Charlotte role, which earned her an NAACP Image Award nod.
Hardung is a man of many talents whose past ambitions included a football and medical career before navigating to acting. He’s had roles in several German productions, including the 2018 film The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. He acted alongside Rupert Everett and John Turturro in the series, The Name of the Rose, and made his Netflix debut in the coming-of-age comedy, How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast). He continues to play James in Maxton Hall, which was recently renewed for Season 2 on Prime Video.
