Get excited, because Georgia Nicolson is back! Yes, the girl who turned an olive costume into a fancy-dress must-try and whose legendary snogging scale fuelled countless sleepovers is returning to our screens. Nearly two decades after the original Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging became a coming-of-age classic, a new TV pilot, Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, based on the books by Louise Rennison, is now in the works.
That means a whole new generation is about to fall in love with Georgia and the Ace Gang. And for young actors, it marks an exciting casting opportunity. The initial casting process appears to have wrapped, but there’s still plenty to learn about the production’s search for its stars – especially if the series gets picked up and more of Rennison’s books are adapted.
JUMP TO
The reboot is based on Louise Rennison’s bestselling Confessions of Georgia Nicolson novels, first published in 1999. Told through Georgia’s unfiltered diary entries, the books follow a 14-year-old navigating first crushes, embarrassing parents, and the all-consuming mission to win the affection of Robbie “the Sex God.” The 10-book series became an international publishing phenomenon, selling millions of copies worldwide.
We can expect the new adaptation to follow a similar format to the original 2008 film – lots of embarrassing moments, girlish scheming, and characters you’re bound to fall in love with. Unlike the original, though, the reboot will be a TV series for a “major streaming platform.”
The original 2008 film, directed by Gurinder Chadha (also the director of Bend It Like Beckham), has become one of Britain’s most beloved teen comedies. Georgia Groome played Georgia, alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Robbie and Eleanor Tomlinson as Jas.
Together they captured the tragedy, humour, and total up-and-down emotional chaos of adolescence. At the time of its release, teenagers all over the country started quoting the film – and it’s still a cult classic among that generation. “Ten years on and the film is still inspiring audiences to dress up as olives and not to shave their eyebrows,” Brigid Harrison-Draper writes in the Guardian. “What did the film teach us millennials? To be ourselves, have a laugh, and ignore all the seriousness of adult life until we were at least 16.”
Its enduring popularity means expectations for the reboot are high. It already has a fanbase that is likely to tune in, if for nothing else than to see what all the fuss is about. But the hope is that it will draw in a whole new generation too.
The reboot is being cast by acclaimed casting director Rachel Sheridan, whose credits include the One Day remake, Amandaland, Big Boys, Such Brave Girls, and Riot Women. She has built a reputation for discovering fresh talent alongside casting established stars – which is great news for emerging actors.
During the search for Georgia and her friends, Sheridan and her team launched an open casting call that welcomed applications from across the UK. In her casting call for the reboot, Sheridan said she was looking for people who “have a love for acting and great comedy ability”; she also noted that no previous acting experience is required. The actors need to pass for the age of 15 or 16 though.
Sheridan has said they are “committed to inclusive, diverse casting. For every role, unless otherwise specified in the brief, please submit openly regarding ethnicity, disability, race, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, body type, etc.” That fits with the casting of the 2008 film, as the actors weren’t household names when they landed their roles and Chadha specifically set out to cast girls who weren’t all white.
“In the book, all the girls are white. But because I’d just made Bend It Like Beckham, I was conscious of not having a fully white cast,” she said of the process. “Back then that wasn’t really the norm. I did break with tradition from the books by casting [Manjeeven Grewal as Ellen], but it represented Britain for me, so it felt authentic.”
Sheridan is a big name in the business, so she knows the stress actors can feel when going into auditions. “I don’t think performers ever need to worry about standing out. Just go into the audition and do your best work,” she said about casting Netflix’s One Day. “If you’ve been sent the script, read it and be as prepared as possible. I’m very sympathetic; I know that actors have lots going on, and I try to give plenty of time.”
“Know that the casting director is on your side. We want you to get the job. Sometimes I rearrange my studio space before an audition so it doesn’t feel like a job interview to make actors feel less nervous. We want you to come in feeling comfortable and relaxed so that you can do your best. We really want to cast you!”
Even though the initial casting has officially closed for Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging, it’s wise to stay prepared. If the pilot gets commissioned, new characters are bound to appear across the series.
To stay ready:
-
Keep your acting CV updated.
-
If a new ad comes up, be ready to hit record on a self-tape.
-
Make sure your headshots are up to date.
-
Read the books, so you have a good understanding of Georgia’s world.
-
Watch the old film to get a feel for how the stories may come to life off the page.
It’s also worth following reputable production companies and casting directors such as Rachel Sheridan on Instagram so you’ll hear about open casting calls as soon as they’re announced.
