26/08/2021 - The show, helmed by Student Academy Award winner Rikke Gregersen, follows a Psychology student with an obsessive fear of terrorism

Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne in Ida Takes Charge (© Anton Soggiu)

Ida Takes Charge, a brand-new eight-episode series, wrapped filming in Oslo this summer. The drama, directed by Rikke Gregersen (the shorts The Affected and The Dog), is based on the critically acclaimed debut by young novelist Kjersti Halvorsen and is set to be the next Viaplay Original from Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group). Gregersen won a Student Academy Award and a Special Jury Prize at the BAFTA/LA Student Film Awards for her 2018 short Dog Eat Dog.

The lead role will be played by Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne (Psychobitch [+see also:
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interview: Erik Poppe
film profile]), who will portray a Psychology student with an obsessive fear of terrorism. Newly arrived in Oslo, Ida cannot shake a constant feeling that disaster – especially terrorism – is just around the corner. So when she meets Axel, a young man with connections to the incel (“involuntary celibate”) subculture, Ida becomes convinced that he is a future school shooter – and that she has a personal responsibility to stop a catastrophe.

Commenting on this new Norwegian production, Filippa Wallestam, NENT Group’s chief content officer, said: “Investing in the next generation of streaming storytellers is a priority in all of our markets. The young talents behind Ida Takes Charge are some of the brightest in Norway’s thriving creative scene, with a very impressive list of awards and credits. As viewers across more European markets, and soon the USA, are discovering, Viaplay is redrawing the map when it comes to unique Nordic stories.”

Director Rikke Gregersen added: “As a slightly nervous girl who often spins small things out of proportion, Kjersti’s novel really spoke to me. The themes may be pitch-dark, but the tone is light, and we’ve worked to capture this in the series. Ida, as portrayed by Elli, is by turns painful, funny and, above all, familiar.”

Alongside Müller Osborne, other confirmed actors are Arthur Hakalahti (the TV series Skam), Mohammed Aden Ali (the TV series 17) and Sofia Tjelta Sydness (the TV series Delete Me). The show is being produced by Anagram Norge and is set to premiere exclusively on NENT Group’s Viaplay streaming service. NENT Group’s recent slate of Norwegian drama titles includes Furia, the second season of Wisting, Made in Oslo, the second and third seasons of Pørni, and the second season of The Machinery.