Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt has landed a starring role in the forthcoming television adaptation of The Magnificent Seven.
The roster of MGM+'s reimagining of the beloved franchise continues to grow, with the Downton Abbey star coming aboard alongside The Gilded Age's Amy Forsyth.
Although The Magnificent Seven has previously made it to the big screen on two occasions — including the beloved 1960 original, itself drawn from Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and the 2016 remake — this new series will feature entirely fresh characters.
Froggatt will play Harriet Talbot, a tenacious and robust woman portrayed as sharp-minded, courageous and unafraid of intimidation. Having grown up in poverty in Boston, Harriet's story begins as she escapes a violent marriage to a wealthy businessman.
Expecting a child and without support, she seeks sanctuary in a refuge for vulnerable women, where she faces mounting pressure to give up her unborn baby for adoption, reports the Mirror.
Deadline revealed details of her character, stating: "Lost and with nowhere to turn, she happened upon a Quaker community that took her in without question. The community became her home and her faith."
Wanting to marry and settle down, she is matched with Samuel in a Quaker community all the way out in Wyoming. Shortly after she arrives, and minutes after the ceremony, Samuel is killed in Skelton in an effort to scare them off their land.
"Harriet cannot stand idly by. She sets out to find protection, and it's through her that Chris is drawn into the mission. Her strength isn't in firepower. It's in conviction."
Beloved television actress Joanne is best known for her role as Anna Bates in Downton Abbey, and has since appeared in a string of critically praised productions, including Liar, Angela Black, North Shore and MobLand.
Meanwhile, Amy will portray Katie 'Deadeye' Dalton, a character described as "wry, sarcastic, and emotionally guarded".
Renowned for her remarkable marksmanship, Katie is enlisted to join the Wild West show, where she finds herself crossing paths once more with Vin, portrayed by Michael Ealy. The two share a complicated past, having previously enjoyed a "brief, vivid fling neither quite forgot".
Amy's previous film appearances include Beautiful Boy and The Novice, while her television work spans Rise, Dear Edward and Coyote.
The two actresses join an ever-growing ensemble cast headed by Matt Dillon as Chris Adams, alongside Will Patton as Cyrus T. Clemons, Michael Ealy as Vin Tanner and Danny Pino as Santiago "Santi" Vega.
Their addition heralds a fresh and exciting direction for The Magnificent Seven, introducing two entirely original characters absent from both previous film adaptations, as the series ventures beyond the franchise's traditionally male-dominated narratives.
