Bella Ramsey to Play ‘The White Widow,’ Wife of British Terrorist, in ‘Girl Next Door’
Bella Ramsey to Play British Terrorist the White Widow in 'Girl Next Door,' Celsius Launching in Cannes https://t.co/0x382iscbO
- Variety (@Variety) May 10, 2024
Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) has been cast as Samantha Lewthwaite, who became known as ‘The White Widow’ and one of the world’s most wanted women.
“Girl Next Door” centres on Lewthwaite (Ramsey), who fell in love with Islam long before being Muslim was politicised and militarised and became known as ‘The White Widow’. What began as teenage curiosity about an “exotic” and welcoming faith as embodied by her neighbours and best friend, ended with Samantha being consumed by its more radical fringes. We follow Sam in the days following the 7/7 attacks in London in 2005 as she pieces together the inevitable outcome of her husband’s involvement, believing he is with another woman when his fate is clear to us all. Left contemplating her future as a grief- stricken mum of two, we imagine the events that may have led Sam to become an ideological crusader and wonder, how much she really knew about the 7/7 plot.
“The film is unapologetically from Sam’s perspective - anyone playing Sam needs to be fearless,” says director/writer Bruce Goodison. “Bella Ramsey is the perfect fit. Bella will bring heart, life and complexity to this role.”