SBS drama with Hugo Weaving and Shabana Azeez screens in double episode -and on Netflix outside Australia on the same day.
New Australian drama The Airport Chaplain will premiere on SBS in late August and in a landmark first for an SBS Original drama, will also stream globally on Netflix outside Australia on the same day.
It will screen on SBS in double half-hour episodes and in full at SBS on Demand.
Led by Hugo Weaving (Slow Horses, Love Me, Dalliance) and Shabana Azeez (The Pitt) the eight-part series takes audiences inside the world of a bustling international airport, told through the struggles, triumphs and unexpected connections of the workers who keep it running.
At the centre of The Airport Chaplain is Tobias Wallace (Hugo Weaving), a fast-moving fixer with a constantly ringing phone, pockets full of cash and an unorthodox approach to the daily crises of an airport. Convinced the airport couldn’t run without him, Tobias has never encountered a problem he couldn’t solve. Until he meets his formidable new boss Mira (Shabana Azeez), who sees Tobias as less saviour to the masses and more a walking liability. Their clash sparks a power struggle that reverberates through the terminal, drawing in the airport’s cleaners, baggage handlers and passengers who are all navigating their own hopes, challenges, and life-changing moments amid the constant flow of arrivals and departures.
Hugo Weaving said: “Tobias is a wonderfully complicated character, deeply committed to helping others, often in ways that don’t fit the rulebook. The Airport Chaplain tells profoundly human stories with warmth, wit and emotional honesty. Airports are fascinating places where people experience reunions, departures, joy, grief, and everything in between, and the series captures that beautifully. I’m delighted audiences will finally be able to discover this remarkable world when the series premieres in August.”
Shabana Azeez said: “Mira is a poignant exploration of what it is to be a working mum, and I was drawn to her quiet strength, integrity, and power in this very complex workplace. It was a joy to bring this portrayal of modern Australia and its borders to life alongside such a talented cast and crew of Australian filmmakers, and I hope that these stories resonate far and wide. There’s something universally relatable about the experiences that unfold in airports, and I think audiences will find themselves at the edge of their window seats with these characters when the series premieres this August.”
SBS Head of Scripted, Nakul Legha said: “It’s a delight to invite global audiences to board our new SBS Original series, The Airport Chaplain. This is big hearted, gripping drama that celebrates our shared humanity in the charged chaos of a busy airport. I can’t wait for viewers around the world to step into this distinctly Australian series, brought to life by a stellar creative team led by Wooden Horse and remarkable performances from this inimitable cast.”
Co-Creator and Executive Producer, Wooden Horse Jude Troy said: “What began with a chance encounter with a real airport chaplain has become a distinctive and captivating drama series about connection and humanity. We’re so delighted that The Airport Chaplain is not only coming in to land on SBS and SBS On Demand, but also taking flight internationally with Netflix, with Wooden Horse incredibly proud to take this premium Australian drama to a global audience.”
Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough said “The Airport Chaplain is a deeply moving story, rich with empathy, humanity, and warm humour. Brought to the life by the exceptional team at Wooden Horse and led by acclaimed actors Hugo Weaving and Shabana Azeez, this powerful story will captivate audiences both at home and around the world.”
Weaving and Azeez lead a stellar ensemble cast including Claudia Karvan (SBS’s Homebodies, Bump), Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High, The Narrow Road to the Deep North), Erroll Shand (All Her Fault, The Twelve), Kavitha Anandasivam (Aftertaste, The Hunting), Jackson Tozer (The Newsreader, All Her Fault), Elias Anton (Swift Street, Barracuda), Arka Das (Fake), Fanny Hanusin (Wentworth), Echo Palo (The Correspondent), Nicholas Denton (Dangerous Liaisons), George Mason (Run), Brenna Harding (The Twelve, Total Control), Michael Logo (Colin from Accounts), Priscilla Doueihy (Baby Teeth), Claude Jabbour (Last King of the Cross) and Ras-Samuel Welda’abzgi (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes).
From multi-award-winning Australian production company Wooden Horse, The Airport Chaplain is co-created and executive produced by Elise McCredie (The Clearing, Stateless, Jack Irish) and Jude Troy (Mother & Son, The Clearing, The Other Guy). The series is written by Elise McCredie, Sarah Bassiuoni, Mithila Gupta, and Vidya Rajan, and directed by Bonnie Moir and Tig Terera.
The Airport Chaplain is a Wooden Horse production for SBS. Major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with SBS. Financed with support from VicScreen.
The Airport Chaplain will be subtitled in five languages, streaming on SBS On Demand in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. All eight episodes will also be available with audio description.
Double episodes from 8.30pm on 26 August on SBS (all 8 episodes at SBS on Demand).