Anya Taylor-Joy, known to many as Gina Grey in Peaky Blinders, has been confirmed as the lead in a new Netflix drama adaptation of How to Kill Your Family, the bestselling 2021 novel by Bella Mackie.
Taylor-Joy will take on the role of Grace Bernard, a woman whose life has been shaped by rejection. Grace is the product of an affair that wealthy billionaire Simon Artemis refuses to acknowledge, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves. When her mother dies and the family turns its back on her again, Grace channels her fury into something calculated — methodically working through her estranged relatives to get revenge.
A career on the rise
Since leaving Peaky Blinders, the Argentine-American actress has gained critical acclaim for her portrayal of chess prodigy Beth Harmon in The Queen's Gambit, which earned her a Golden Globe award. She has also starred in Split, The Menu, Emma, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Taylor-Joy will be joined by Clive Owen, David Shields, and Orlanda Norman in the series. How to Kill Your Family was first published five years ago and was written by Bella Mackie, who is also the wife of BBC Radio 1 DJ Greg James.
Fans praise the novel
Fans on Goodreads have shared their praise for the book. One wrote: "What's the point of eating or sleeping when you can read brilliant books like these! Some of the best +10h of my year, thank you for this genius masterpiece." A second commented: "Couldn’t put it down. Well written and really compelling to the final page. Amazing read. Did not want it to end. Clever." A third added: "Brutal, gripping, utterly sick and twisted with a surge of brilliance rolled in. The deaths are sordid and the surge of anxiety through her description is chilling. A must read."
Netflix's UK slate
Netflix also announced two spin-off series from Top Boy are in development, alongside a new drama titled The Unheard, starring Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake, written by Jack Thorne. Netflix's vice president for UK content, Anne Mensah, said: "In the amazingly competitive UK landscape, it's not good enough to be just ok. You need to swing for exceptional." Mensah also spoke about championing "extraordinary UK creativity", adding that they "can't wait" for next year. How to Kill Your Family is coming to Netflix.
