Award-winning actor Samuel Johnson (The Secret Life of Us) has been confirmed to play Molly. He has perfected his ‘ums and ers’ and brushed up on his music history to take on the role of one of Australia’s beloved icons.
Molly chronicles the rise of Molly Meldrum: the music, the celebrities, the parties, the international trips, behind-the-scene politics, his partners in crime and most of all, the story of Molly himself.
From humble beginnings in Quambatook, Victoria, Ian ‘Molly’ Meldrum rose to become the most influential and powerful name in Australian music. Through the phenomenon that became a cultural touchstone – Countdown – Molly’s passion for music and life quickly cemented his place in the heart of the entire nation.
Molly said: “I really cannot think of anyone else who could even try to play me. Sam is perfect and I cannot wait to see him in action. Good luck Sam!”
Anointed by Molly himself, Sam said: “To be honest and to put it simply, this is the holy grail, both creatively and personally. He is a character. As an actor this is the best role you could ever hope to find. You spend your whole career dreaming of a role like this. I'm typically terrified but the panic is convincingly overshadowed by my excitement about the opportunity”.
Last year Samuel won the hearts of all Australians when he rode a unicycle 15,000km around the country to raise much needed funds for the Garvan Institute to help find a cure for breast cancer. The ride was dedicated to his gravely ill sister Connie whose cancer experience began as an 11-year-old.
He raised over $1.5 million. In 2004 Sam rode his unicycle from Sydney to Melbourne and raised $200,000 for CanTeen.
Brad Lyons, Seven’s Director of Network Production, said: “There is no one else quite like Molly, and I say that with much admiration. To be able to explore the story of his early life and share that with our viewers is wonderful. He is a much-loved icon in Australia.”
Molly is a M4 Entertainment Production produced in association with the Seven Network. Executive Produced by Michael Gudinski and Mark Morrissey and John Molloy as Producer. The series is directed by Kevin Carlin and written by Liz Doran and Matt Cameron.