The Netflix period movie, Bad Bridgets, has expanded its cast, with the addition of Colin Farrell, Himesh Patel, and five other actors to the ensemble. The streamer announced the film with its first two cast members in October 2025. The project will be directed by Rich Peppiatt and is expected to go into production soon.
Colin Farrell and Himesh Patel join the growing ensemble cast of Netflix’s Bad Bridgets
Colin Farrell, Himesh Patel, Steve Coogan, Charlie Heaton, Domhnall Gleeson, Niamh Algar, and Simone Kirby have boarded Netflix’s feature adaptation of Elaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick’s history book, Bad Bridget: Crime, Mayhem, and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women.
Previously announced cast members are Emilia Jones and Alison Oliver, who previously collaborated on the Mark Ruffalo-led HBO crime drama series, Task. Originally, the film reportedly tapped Daisy Edgar-Jones to star opposite Jones (via Deadline). However, she exited due to scheduling conflicts, resulting in Oliver stepping in to replace her.
The story follows two Irish sisters who travel to the United States to escape their abusive father. Upon reaching New York, they encounter and become part of a group of other Irish women or “Bridgets,” who cause problems in the city.
“When a mysterious letter offering escape leads a young Irish woman to 19th-century New York, she’s pulled into the unruly world of the Bridgets, and mayhem follows in her wake,” the official logline reads.
History professors Farrell and McCormick reportedly coined the term “Bad Bridget.” It refers to impoverished girls and women from Ireland who traveled to the US and Canada in search of a new life. However, in their efforts to survive, they found themselves frequently in trouble with the law.
Production will reportedly take place on location in Northern Ireland and Ireland in mid-July 2026.
Moreover, BAFTA-winning filmmaker Rich Peppiatt will direct and write Bad Bridgets. He will also produce through his production banner, Coup d’Etat Films, alongside Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment. Furthermore, Cáit Collins will executive produce.
Meanwhile, Ryan Kernaghan, who previously worked with Peppiatt on Kneecap, will serve as cinematographer. Additionally, Academy Award winners James Price and Kate Hawley are on board as production and costume designers, respectively.
Queen’s University Belfast and Northern Ireland Screen supported the film’s development.