Apple TV
What would you do if you thought your missing child was alive?
In Last Seen, the first Australian original series by Apple TV, the answer isn’t as simple as you’d think. But as the six-part drama unfolds, there’s certainly more than one question needing to be answered!
What is Last Seen about?
Filmed in Victoria and directed by Christian Schwochow, the psychological thriller follows police dispatcher Ian, played by Patrick Brammall, who receives a distressing call from a young woman he believes could be his daughter, Maggie, who went missing 11 years ago.
The eerie premise, based on the novel The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn, sets off a chain of events as Ian tries to reconcile his past and present, while piecing together what happened the night Maggie disappeared.
As a dad of two, Patrick says it was easy to tap into the mindset of a broken father who refuses to give up the hope of being reunited with his child.
“Ian is a damaged guy trying to get on with things,” Patrick, 50, tells TV WEEK. “I have a three-year-old and a five-month-old myself, and I don’t think I could have approached this job the same way if I weren’t a father. My own experience of fatherhood is all through this performance.”
As the investigation unfolds, viewers get a glimpse into what has happened in Ian’s life since – or rather, what has fallen apart. His marriage, sobriety and career all took a hit.
Meanwhile, the larger question remains: is the woman really Maggie or does Ian only wish it was? And regardless of her identity, the race is on to save a life.
Who stars in Last Seen?
Patrick Brammall, known to Australians for his roles in Glitch, Offspring, Upper Middle Bogan and, more recently, Colin from Accounts, has been experiencing a career surge of late – and Hollywood is taking notice.
Off the back of Colin from Accounts, which he created and stars in with wife Harriet Dyer, Patrick found Hollywood. He recently starring alongside Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci in the highly anticipated drama, The Devil Wears Prada 2.
As the main love interest, the role was hugely competitive and saw Patrick beat out Hollywood leading stars and fresh newcomers to play the main love interest.
In a surprise move, Patrick has left the laughs at the door for this darker role, something he admits wasn’t too hard to reach. As a father-of-two, Patrick “leant in” to his instincts and what it would mean if it happened to him.
“Ian is raw nerve in the wind, you know, so it was it was a fast access point,” he says. “And then I trusted the writing, which is very good, and our director. And then the ensemble cast of wonderful actors; it was a trust exercise for all of us.”
Brendan Cowell (Plum, Love My Way) co-stars as a local handyman who remains somewhat of a mystery. Did he have a hand in Maggie’s disappearance? Or does he know something he shouldn’t?
It also reunites Brendan with Patrick, who previously directed him in the film Ruben Guthrie. Neither of them was aware the other was part of the project until they were deep in discussions about it.
“I was put forward to meet with [director] Christian and I found out Patrick was doing it,” Brendan recalls. “The notion of the two ideas of a father, and the fact that Patrick and I are often compared to each other, it felt like this was the right one for us to come together. It’s very exciting but we don’t see each other too much throughout filming.”
A debut role of a lifetime
Playing the role of his daughter Sarah is Chloe Jean Lourdes. Last Seen is her first-ever TV role, an opportunity she was “so eager” to explore.
“Throughout the audition process, the more scenes that I got my character, I got to know her and became so emotionally invested,” Chloe, 17, says. “I’d get caught up in wondering who she could be, so by the time that I got to set, I was so pumped to bring that to camera. Then I realized, ‘Oh, we’re actually making a show and people are going to see this! And that’s when I started to panic a little bit!”
With Patrick and Brendan alongside her for most scenes, Chloe says it was a nurturing environment.
“I didn’t feel out of place, even though it was my first job,” she says. “Everybody made an effort to make me feel comfortable and I asked a million questions and everybody gave me answers. I think that really helped to settle in and get familiarity. That family environment was pivotal”
The six-episode drama also includes Maxine Peake, Felix Cameron and Daniel Henshall.
Where can I watch Last Seen?
Last Seen is available September 9 on Apple TV
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