Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson working in tandem to find a missing girl? Yes please!
Casting Emma Thompson as the spiky (literally and metaphorically) Private Investigator Zoe Boehm was an inspired idea, but when you add Ruth Wilson as her frantic, quick-thinking side kick you’ve got a real recipe for success.
Introducing Down Cemetery Road. Here’s everything you need to know about Apple TV’s upcoming drama from the genius behind Slow Horses.
What is Down Cemetery Road about?
Down Cemetery Road tells the story of Sarah Trafford (Ruth Wilson), whose life as an art restorer in Oxford is forever changed when, without warning, a neighbour’s house explodes. Believing a little girl that she briefly met has been injured by the blast, and suspicious of a supposed cover-up by authorities, Sarah tries find out what has happened.
In desperation she seeks assistance from Private Investigator Zoe Boehm (Emma Thompson) and her husband Joe Silverman (Adam Godley), but it isn’t long before the trio find that this strange case is more than they can handle.
Who stars in Down Cemetery Road?
Emma Thompson as Zoe Boehm
Sporting a punk look and attitude, when we first meet Private Investigator Zoe Boehm, she’s frustrated by husband Joe Silverman’s (Adam Godley) lack of exciting and well-paid cases. But underneath that tough exterior it soon becomes clear that Zoe will do anything for her friends and family.
One of the major selling points of Down Cemetery Road, Emma Thompson is a hugely prolific actress who boasts two Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, two Golden Globes and an Emmy Award. Oh, and she’s actually been Dame Emma Thompson since 2018 for her contributions to drama.
Emma is actually the only person in history to have received Academy Awards for both acting and writing. She won Best Actress for playing Margaret Schlegel in Howards End (1992) and Best Adapted Screenplay for Sense and Sensibility (1995). For her role as Elinor Dashwood in the latter, she was also nominated for Best Actress.
Her BAFTA wins were also courtesy of Howards End and Sense and Sensibility as well as Fortunes of War (1987), but she was later nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Love Actually (2003) and then Best Actress for Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022).
Ruth Wilson as Sarah Trafford
Sarah Trafford’s career as an art restorer is going relatively well and her husband, Mark (Tom Riley), a hedge fund manager, is attentive, and they enjoy a comfortable, financially secure existence. But it soon becomes clear that everything isn’t as settled as it first seems.
‘You meet Sarah and you think she’s fairly normal, but there’s a restlessness inside, something she hasn’t quite admitted to herself,’ shares Ruth. ‘Over the eight episodes, the show allows us to see the real Sarah come out.’
Another multi awarding-winning actress, Ruth Wilson received her first BAFTA nomination for Best Actress for Jane Eyre (2006), she also received her first Golden Globe nomination that year for the same role.
Ruth won her first (and only) Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for The Affair (2014-2019) which she starred in alongside Dominic West. Her first (and only) BAFTA came in 2020 for her role in His Dark Materials (2019-2022).
Other notable roles of Ruth’s include Alice Morgan in Luther (2010-2019), Alison Wilson in Mrs Wilson (2018), Lorna Brady in The Woman in the Wall (2023) and Emily Maitlis in A Very Royal Scandal (2024) which was the Prime Video adaptation of the journalist’s now infamous interview with Prince Andrew.
Adeel Akhtar as Hamza Malik
Providing some necessary comic relief within Down Cemetery Road, Hamza Malik is the middle-management face of state-sponsored conspiracy - a man who's in over his head, but desperately clinging to the illusion of control.
Another cast member boasting multiple acting accolades is Adeel Akhtar who received a BAFTA for Best Actor for Murdered By My Father (2016) and one for Best Supporting Actor for Sherwood (2022). In 2023 he received a Children’s and Family Emmy Award for Sweet Tooth (2021-2023).
Other notable works of Adeel Akhtar include playing Billy in Back To Life (2019-2021) Wilson Wilson in Utopia (2013-2014), Detective Sergeant Ira King in River (2015), Rob Singhal in The Night Manager (2016), Martin in Killing Eve (2019-2022), DS Sami Kierce in Fool Me Once (2024) and Sam Malik in series two of Showtrial (2024).
Darren Boyd as C
C is the head of a shadowy Ministry of Defense division who never gets his hands dirty, but isn’t exactly clean.
A comedy actor primarily, Darren Boyd is best known for shows like Kiss Me Kate (1998-2000), Smack the Pony (1999-2003), Green Wing (2006), Spy (2011-2012), Killing Eve (2018), Trying (from 2020) and The Outlaws (from 2021).
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Michael Downey
Former soldier Michael Downey will stop at nothing to find the missing girl Dinah (Ivy Quoi) at the centre of the mystery, but what secrets is he hiding?
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett’s most famous role was probably playing Curtis Donovan in Misfits (2009-2012). Nathan’s other notable TV roles include Ian Johnson in Utopia (2013-2014) alongside his Down Cemetery Road co-star Adeel Akhtar, Joe in Culprits (2023) and Johnny Edgecombe in The Trial of Christine Keeler (2019-2020).
TV-wise you may have spotted Nathan in the supernatural horror film Candyman (2021) or the powerful Femme (2023) – the feature-length version of the BAFTA-nominated short starring Harris Dickinson and Paapa Essiedu.
Adam Godley as Joe Silvermann
Zoe’s hapless but loveable husband Joe Silvermann soon finds himself in over his head when he starts helping Sarah Trafford (Ruth Wilson) with her attempts to find Dinah, the missing girl.
As well as being a hugely successful stage star, Adam has appeared in Suits (2013) as Nigel Alexander Nesbitt, Powers (2015-2016) as Captain Emile Cross, Fallet (2017) as DCI Tom Brown, The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024) as Phinneus Pogo (the chimpanzee) and The Great (2020-2023) as Archbishop Archie.
Film-wise there was Love Actually (2003) as Mr. Trench – alongside his Down Cemetery Road co-star Emma Thompson, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) as Mr. Teavee, Nanny McPhee (2005) as Vicar – again alongside Emma Thompson – and Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007).
Tom Goodman-Hill as Gerard Inchon
Gerard Inchon is a wealthy businessman and prospective client of Sarah’s husband Mark, who comes across as obnoxious and frankly a bit of a knob.
Most recently you may have spotted Tom Goodman-Hill in the Netflix hit Baby Reindeer (2024) playing sexual abuser Darrien O’Connor. For his performance, Tom received a nomination for the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Other TV projects of Tom’s include playing Joe Hawkins in Humans (2015-2018), series five of Hustle (2004-2012) as Alfie Baron and Roger Grove in Mr Selfridge (2013-2016). Film-wise, Tom played Frank Crawley in the 2020 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca which was led by Lily James.
Fun fact: He was also the narrator for Ultimate Airport Dubai (2012-2015)!
Fehiniti Balogun as Amos Crane
The terrifyingly efficient Amos Crane is a government assassin who doesn't just follow orders - he doesn’t care who he hurts when he’s on a job.
Last year Fehiniti Balogun starred in the Ewan McGregor-led A Gentleman in Moscow (2024), The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself (2022), Viewpoint (2021) and I May Destroy You (2020).
Sinead Matthews as Wigwam
Wigwam is Sarah’s closest friend and an eccentric, big-hearted, fiercely loyal mother of four.
Sinead Matthews previously worked with Emma Thompson on the second Nanny McPhee film called Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010). Other films she’s starred in include Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Boat The Rocked (2009) and Mr. Turner (2014).
As for her TV projects, you may recognise Sinead from playing Jenny in Ideal (2005-2010), Emma in Chewing Gum (2017), Michelle in Things You Should Have Done (from 2024), Marcia Williams in The Crown (2019) and Miss Waynflete in Murder in Easy (2023).
Ken Nwosu as Rufus
Wigwam’s husband Rufus appears to be more involved in the drama than he’s letting on…
Another Down Cemetery Road cast member who starred in Killing Eve! Ken Nwosu appeared in the first season which aired in 2018 as Max Sanford. Other TV projects include playing Thomas Benson in Sticks and Stones (2019) and Bill in Black Doves (2024).
Tom Riley as Mark Trafford
Whilst Sarah Trafford’s husband Mark originally appears to be a good egg, his lack of sympathy for his wife’s quest to find the missing Dinah soon becomes obvious.
Tom Riley’s biggest TV roles to date include Dr. Laurence Shepherd in Monroe (2011-2012), Leonardo da Vinci in Da Vinci’s Demons (2013-2015), DI Will Wagstaffe in Dark Heart (2016), Augustus ‘Augie’ Bidlow in The Nevers (2021-2023), Neil in The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022) and Lord Whitfield in Murder is Easy (2023) alongside his Down Cemetery Road co-star Sinead Matthews.
Is Down Cemetery Road based on a novel?
Down Cemetery Road is based on the novel of the same name by Mick Herron – perhaps best known for creating Slow Horses.
Down Cemetery Road was in fact Mick’s debut novel published in 2003. The series includes four novels in total: Down Cemetery Road (2003), The Last Voice You Hear (2004), Why We Die (2006) and Smoke and Whispers (2009).
The TV adaptation of Down Cemetery Road is written by Morwenna Banks who is also behind the TV adaptation of Slow Horses.
Will there be a second series of Down Cemetery Road?
Considering there are still three books detailing the escapades of Zoe Boehm, we can assume that there are plans in the works to continue creating more series of Down Cemetery Road although nothing has been confirmed yet.
In fact, Emma Thompson told TVChoice, ‘I feel like we’re both really committed in word and deed, and we would very much feel as though, if we didn't return that there was a kind of investment that we made into these characters that I think would repay further investigation. Put it that way.
‘But of course, we don't know. Everyone's got to watch it. You've all got to watch it people, otherwise there won't be a second series!’
What is the release date for Down Cemetery Road?
The first two episodes of Down Cemetery Road will be available on Apple TV from Wednesday 29 Oct with the following six episodes releasing weekly.
Where can I watch Down Cemetery Road?
Just like Slow Horses, all episodes of Down Cemetery Road will eventually be made available on Apple TV.
Daisy Hall became a writer for TVChoice after realising that she could make a career out of her incredible ability to extensively name an actor's credits when they randomly pop up in whatever she's watching. Her friends find it infuriating, but hopefully you find it useful!