Strike star Tom Burke takes on lead role in emotional 1970s drama set in Dublin’s Jewish community
Monde Mwitumwa TV and Celebrity Reporter
10:09, 18 Feb 2026

The emotional 1970s drama set in Dublin’s Jewish community(Image: BBC/Bronte Film & TV Ltd/Steffan Hill)
Strike star Tom Burke is set to star alongside Netflix star Eve Hewson in the forthcoming film from Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson (Normal People, Room), and it promises to be an emotional journey.
The new drama, which remains untitled, follows the experiences of a 12-year-old boy living within Dublin‘s Jewish community during the late 1970s.
Viewers are in for a treat: not only does the drama feature an impressive cast, but it’s also written and directed by Lenny Abrahamson.
He is the celebrated filmmaker behind the powerful 2015 drama Room, for which Brie Larson won an Oscar, and the lockdown sensation, Normal People, which propelled Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones to stardom.

Strike star Tom Burke takes on lead role(Image: BBC)
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He reunites with the multi-award-winning production company, Element Pictures, for the film, which begins shooting in Dublin in March.
Set within Dublin’s Jewish community during the late 1970s, the film follows Davey, a 12-year-old boy on the cusp of transformation, “navigating the anxieties of adolescence alongside the evolving dynamics of his parents’ marriage,” according to the synopsis.
The film is described as a “lyrical and emotionally resonant portrait” of Davey, portrayed by newcomer Sean Meagher.
Director and writer Lenny also produced the film alongside Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures (a Fremantle company) and Catherine Magee (Normal People, Small Things Like These). Additional plot details are yet to be disclosed.

Eve Hewson, who is known for her performances in Behind Her Eyes has landed a role in the drama.(Image: Getty Images)
Eve Hewson, who is known for her performances in The Perfect Couple, Behind Her Eyes, and Bad Sisters, has landed a role in the drama. Newcomer Sean Meagher has been cast in the role of Davey.
Meanwhile, Tom Burke, famed for his portrayal of private detective Cormoran Strike in the BBC’s popular crime series Strike, will lead the cast.
The actor, 44, quickly became one of Hollywood’s hottest actors after making a name for himself with a number of roles.
Whilst it appears Tom was destined for stardom, having two actors for parents, David Burke and Anna Calder-Marshall, his background is more humble, with his grandmother being from a working-class background.
However, he did have Harry Potter star Alan Rickman as a godfather, and he previously revealed the special gesture the actor made that shaped his own career.
According to The Independent, Alan helped pay Tom’s RADA drama school fees.
The film’s release date remains under wraps.
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