Netflix is teaming up with Australian comedian and actress Celeste Barber to develop a new dramedy series called Wellmania about a woman who is forced to change her way of life to improve her health and get on a wellness journey. Coming to Netflix in March 2023, here’s everything we know so fa about the upcoming comedy series.
Netflix’s Wellmania is inspired by Brigid Delaney‘s novel Wellmania: Misadventures in the Search for Wellness and is co-created and produced by Delaney herself with Benjamin Law (The Family Law). Belinda King (The Elegant Gentleman’s Guide to Knife Fighting) and Law are co-Executive Producers, and will also head the writing team.
Romina Accurso (The Heights, Spreadsheet) will serve as Script Producer and writer, and Nick Coyle (Sarah’s Channel) and Amy Stewart (Hardball, The Heights) will serve as writers.
Author Brigid Delaney
Star Celeste Barber commented on the project:
“I’m so excited about this project, the whole team is awesome. We’ve been working on it for a while and I’ve been busting to tell everyone about it. I’m drawn to projects that centre around interesting, dynamic and complex lead female characters and that’s exactly what Wellmania is. I’m stoked to be working with Netflix and tell this Australian story to an international audience, and to also be an executive producer so I can boss people around.”
Barber executive produces with Chris Oliver-Taylor and Warren Clarke for Fremantle Australia, with Bree-Anne Sykes who serves as producer. Clarke added to the other statements:
“Working with Celeste Barber and Netflix is a dream come true for all of us at Fremantle Australia. We cannot wait to see the impact that this series has in Australia, and right across the globe.”
What’s the Netflix release date for Wellmania?
Thanks to the release of the official trailer we can now confirm that Wellmania will be released on Netflix on Friday, March 31st, 2023.
What’s the plot of Wellmania?
Here is the story logline for Netflix’s Wellmania as seen in Deadline:
When human tornado Liv (Barber) has a major health crisis, she is forced to rethink her ‘live fast die young’ attitude. Throwing herself body-first into a wellness journey, she tries everything from the benign to the bizarre in an attempt to get well quick, and reclaim her old life.
The book received rave reviews for shining a light on often controversial wellness treatments led by the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow who Netflix gives a platform with her show The Goop Lab!.
Who is cast in Wellmania?
In December 2021, Celeste Barber was the first member of the cast announced for Wellmania. Barber’s filmography includes Back the Outback, The Letdown, How Not to Behave and more.
Que Minh Luu, Netflix’s Director of Content in Australia and New Zealand said the following on Barber’s casting:
“Celeste embodies exactly what Netflix ANZ is striving for – sparking global love for being our quintessentially Australian and funny selves. The search for wellness and meaning is a fundamentally human drive, and in a post-pandemic world this quest carries for us more weight than ever. To have an artist with Celeste’s warmth and comedic talent guide us through the extremes, triumphs and revelations of self-improvement and understanding is an absolute delight, and one we know our members will love.”
In March 2022, Netflix announced the expanded cast for the series.
Per the blog post:
- JJ Fong (Creamerie) as investigative journalist and Liv’s best friend Amy Kwan.
- Genevieve Mooy (The Dish) as Liv’s mum, Lorraine Healy.
- Lachlan Buchanan (Station 19) as Liv’s brother, Gaz Healy.
- Remy Hii (Spider-Man: Far From Home) as Gaz’s fiancé, Dalbert Tan.
- Alexander Hodge (Insecure, Resort to Love) as Liv’s love interest, Isaac Huang.
- Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Night Agent) as Helen King, Editor-in-Chief of The Sydney Standard.
- Virginie Laverdure (La Brea) as Liv’s New York editor, Valerie Jones.
- Johnny Carr (Five Bedrooms) as Amy’s husband, Doug Henderson.
- Miranda Otto (The Unusual Suspects, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina)
- Leah Vandenberg (Here Out West, The Hunting)
- Aden Young (Rectify).
What’s the production status of Wellmania?
Production took place entirely in Gadigal Country, Eora Nation in Sydney, Australia, according to Production Weekly.
Filming took place in early 2022.
First look behind the scenes of Wellmania on Netflix
How many episodes will be in Wellmania?
Netflix’s Wellmania has been confirmed to consist of eight episodes, each lasting half-hour.
Are you looking forward to watching Wellmania on Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below.
