Róisín Murphy to make her drama debut in new Netflix series Half Bad

Based on a trilogy of books by Sally Green, Netflix has given the green-light to a new drama series Half Bad. Róisín Murphy is the latest addition to the cast of the eight part series.

The Arklow singer will play the character of Mercury across from fellow Irish actress Karen Connell (Vikings).

Netflix says of the new series: "Sixteen-year-old Nathan (Jay Lycurgo) is the illegitimate son of the world's most dangerous witch. Fearing he will follow in his father's footsteps, Nathan is constantly monitored. But as the boundaries between 'good' and 'bad' fray, Nathan - along with mischievous Annalise (Nadia Parkes) and charismatic Gabriel (Emilien Vekemans) - will soon discover who he truly is."

"Half Bad is a darkly humorous, romantic, roller-coaster ride of a young adult show. It's a story about the indomitable will to survive and defy the odds."

Other cast members include Isobel Jesper Jones, Paul Ready, David Gyasi, Kerry Fox, Fehinti Balogun, Misha Butler and Liz White.

The project is being produced by The Imaginarium – a production company co-founded by Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish. Half Bad is slated to be released on Netflix this year.

Murphy released her latest studio album, Róisín Machine in 2020 with a remixed version being shared in April of last year.

Hot Press' Tanis Smither gave a rousing review of the work saying: "The global pandemic has effectively silenced the dance music world. No wonder the most poignant moment on Róisín Machine arrives on 'Shellfish Mademoiselle', when Murphy sings, “how dare you sentence me to a lifetime without dancing.”

"Covering most of the disco rhythms, from the funky ‘Incapable’ to the '70s-inspired stomper ‘Murphy’s Law’, Róisín Machine is a spellbinding effort, boasting some of Murphy's best work yet."

Read the full review, here.

Revisit a classic interview with Murphy, originally published in 2016, where she discusses her reign as the "Queen of Electropop", Maggie T, Brexit, Damascus moments, archenemies and red light districts with Stuart Clark.

"I wasn’t one of those girls at school who sat around talking nonsense about each other. Music stopped me having to deal with all that, it was my saviour. It wasn’t a particularly easy time for me. I’m dyslexic and was academically rubbish at school. You could not read my writing if you tried. I was too verbally on the ball to be considered thick, but a lot of people thought I was naughty and I probably became even naughtier because of that."