Silver Spring, MD; May 16, 2018 – Acorn Media Enterprises (AME) has partnered with RTÉ and Treasure Entertainment, as the North American co-producer of new comedy Finding Joy, created, written and starring Irish Film & TV Academy winner Amy Huberman (Striking Out, The Clinic). The six-part comedy series, which is produced by Rob Walpole and Rebecca O’Flanagan of Treasure Entertainment and directed by Kieron J Walsh, begins shooting in Dublin this month and follows a single woman, Joy, after a painful breakup who looks for happiness in all the wrong places. Acorn Media Enterprises has secured all rights in North America, Australia, New Zealand and United Kingdom and secondary rights in Ireland. RLJ Entertainment’s international division, Acorn Media International, will distribute the series in the English-speaking territories. Following RTÉ’s premiere, Finding Joy will make its North American Premiere as an Acorn TV Original on Acorn TV, North America’s most popular streaming service for British and international television, in Fall/Winter 2018. Acorn Media Enterprises (AME) is the UK-based development division for the Acorn TV brand of RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE).
As our virtual lives expand to compete with reality, it often feels like everyone else has found the key to happiness in a way that eludes some thirty somethings, leading to a perfect storm of existential torture. Finding Joy explores the many amusing ways we seek happiness and fulfillment in these modern digital times by following 34-year-old Joy (Huberman), who is just trying to get on with her life after a recent break up from her long-term boyfriend, Aidan. While she is struggling to keep up a cheerful and “in control” veneer, the cracks are starting to show with those close to her worried that she is not coping. Meanwhile, her lowkey job as copy editor for a lifestyle site is uprooted as she takes over their lead lifestyle vlog, which forces Joy to try a wide variety of activities that purport to be access points to happiness and personal fulfillment. And while her style is far from slick, her vulnerability and naive reporting style strike an honest note with her audience and Joy finds herself breaking out of her safe world in a way she never dreamed possible. Finding Joy is a warm, irreverent show with a lot of heart and laughs as Joy struggles with life, her friends and her world.
Creator and star Amy Huberman said, “I’m thrilled and excited to be starting on this adventure, Finding Joy. I’ve thoroughly loved the writing process and now can’t wait to start filming and see the world and all the characters come to life. I’m delighted to continue my collaboration with Treasure Entertainment with whom I’ve had a long standing working relationship and am thrilled that both Acorn TV and RTE are partnering with us on this venture.”
Shane Murphy, Managing Director of Acorn Media Enterprises noted, “With her screen presence as well as her friendly and down-to-earth personality, Amy remains one of the most beloved actresses in Ireland and is creating a rapidly growing fanbase in North America with last year’s debut of her legal drama Striking Out. Amy is a complete joy to be around, so we know our subscribers will enjoy spending time with her first scripted series. She has crafted a very funny and relatable lead character as well as a fun group of supporting characters. Given the overwhelming popularity of RTE’s Striking Out and Acceptable Risk with Acorn TV subscribers, we’re thrilled to co-produce another series with our friends at RTÉ.”
Justin Healy, Executive Producer for comedy in RTÉ, said: "Amy is naturally a very funny person, and in Finding Joy she brings that comedy gene to the fore. Her writing is sharp, witty and smart, and in this six part series she has created engaging relatable characters that will go down very well with the audience. Once again it is our key objective to support and develop Irish talent on and off screen, and with Treasure Films producing it promises to a cracker of a series. We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Amy's comic voice, not just to the Irish screen, but also internationally with our US production partners Acorn TV."
Finding Joy also stars Aisling Bea (The Fall, Hard Sun), Lochlann O’Mearain (Outlander), Jennifer Rainsford, Catherine Walker (Acceptable Risk, Versailles), Laura Whitmore, Paul Reid (Vikings), Hannah Scott and Mark Doherty.
Amy Huberman is one of Ireland’s most popular actresses. She has been nominated for eight Irish Film & TV Awards, including wins for Best Actress for her role as Tara Rafferty in Striking Out in 2017 and as Karen in the thriller Rewind in 2011. Additional credits include The Clinic (also on Acorn TV), Cold Feet, Can’t Cope Won’t Cope, Moone Boy, and Threesome.
Treasure Entertainment is one of Ireland's leading independent film and TV production companies, with a proven record in producing commercially and critically successful content for Irish and international audiences. Recent film credits include John Butler features, Handsome Devil and The Stag, Paddy Breathnach's Oscar shortlisted Viva, and BAFTA nominated Good Vibrations. Currently Treasure are in post-production on Hugh O'Conor's debut feature, Metal Heart, and John Butler's third feature Papi Chulo, starring Gloden Globe winner Matt Bomer and Alejandro Patiño, which recently wrapped shooting in LA.
This news follows Acorn TV’s recent commission announcements for the straight-to-series order of British drama London Kills Series 1 and 2 and Agatha Raisin, Series 2 starring Ashley Jensen as well as a co-production announcement for Aussie comedy Sando and the licensing of hit British police procedural No Offence from Paul Abbott, Jack Irish, Season 2 starring Guy Pearce, and Welsh drama Hidden. Read recent announcements at https://www.rljentertainment.com/press-room/
In 2018, Acorn TV has already featured four Originals with Series 3 of universally adored BBC comedy Detectorists starring Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones; Kay Mellor’s ITV drama Girlfriends starring Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey), Miranda Richardson (Stronger, And Then There Were None), and Zoe Wanamaker (Agatha Christie’s Poirot); Irish legal drama Striking Out, Series 2 also starring Amy Huberman; and record-setting Welsh thriller Keeping Faith starring Eve Myles (Torchwood, Broadchurch). Coming up on Acorn TV is Aussie family comedy Sando (Mon., May 21) and the return of heartwarming New Zealand drama 800 Words, Season 3, Part 1 (June 1). Later this year, the award-winning SVOD premieres international crime drama Straight Forward, the return of Ashley Jensen in Agatha Raisin, Series 2, and British drama London Kills, among many others.
Called “Netflix for the Anglophile” by NPR and featuring “the most robust, reliable selection of European, British, Canadian and Australian shows” by The New York Times, Acorn TV has quickly become one of the top streamers and is the greatest value in streaming at only $4.99 a month and is commercial free. Acorn TV curates the very best in international television and remains North America’s largest streaming service for international television. Acorn TV exclusively premieres several new international series and/or seasons every month from Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, and other European countries.
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About RLJ Entertainment
RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) is a premium digital channel company serving distinct audiences primarily through its popular OTT branded channels, Acorn TV (British TV) and UMC (Urban Movie Channel), which have rapidly grown through development, acquisition, and distribution of its exclusive rights to a large library of international and British dramas, independent feature films and urban content. RLJE’s titles are also distributed in multiple formats including broadcast and pay television, theatrical and non-theatrical, DVD, Blu-ray, and a variety of digital distribution models (including EST, VOD, SVOD and AVOD) in North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Additionally, through Acorn Media Enterprises, its UK development arm, RLJE co-produces and develops new programs and owns 64% of Agatha Christie Limited. For more information, please visit RLJEntertainment.com, Acorn.tv, and UMC.tv.
Acorn TV Press Contact: Chad Campbell, ccampbell@acorn.tv
