Landmark Young People’s drama Louise Lives Large launches on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player
RTÉ’s biggest ever drama commission for young people, Louise Lives Large, goes all out from April 3rd on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player with the full series streaming on RTÉ PLayer from April 10th.
Artistic 13-year-old Louise Edgar has just got the All Clear after a year of cancer treatment. But what now? She’s missed out on everything and feels she’ll never catch up with her now worldly, intimating and moreover teenage peers.
That’s until she finds an unlikely new best friend in Jess, the school loner, who inspires her to write up the ‘Live Large List’ and leap headfirst back into life, one item at time. Whether she triumphs, fails or makes a complete and utter cringeshow of herself doesn’t really matter; Louise is finally and fully living large.
Filmed on location in Kildare and aimed at 9 to 13-year-olds, this 8 x 24 minute series is an international co-production with Canada’s WildBrain and Belgium’s Ketnet.
Lousie Lives Large is witty, dynamic and sometimes poignant. Its sharp and honest writing addresses life events and taboos rarely presented to this age group on Irish television and is made real by its breakout ensemble cast; an honours class of new talent, lead by Beth Fallon as Louise, Aimee Kennedy as Jess and supported by Damian Williams, Luan Ní Cheallaigh, Katie Fitzpatrick, Harvey McGann, Rachel Lynch, Matthew Whelan and Noah Rafferty.
Created and written by Carol Walsh, Louise Lives Large is produced by Tailored Films’ Julianne Forde and Mairtín de Barra, Storyhouse’s Maarten Schmidt, Vérité Films’ Virginia Thompson and Robert de Lint, and co-produced by Xavier Rombaut of Polar Bear. The episodes are directed by Ruth Treacy and Laura Van Haecke.
Producer Julianne Forde says “Who hasn’t felt like they were on the outside at some stage? It’s part of the school experience. We wanted to create a show based around this concept of feeling left behind and counteracting that with a protagonist who wanted to take control of her life. Show creator Carol Walsh personally experienced being out of school for a prolonged period of time due to illness. From this starting point we developed this series, which has an empowering message about resilience.”
Creator and head writer Carol Walsh says, “The goal of Louise Live Large is to bring teens and families together to enjoy a great story. It’s also about the journey of countless teenagers who struggle with illness, bullying, and ostracism, in a way that reflects true-to-life experiences but doesn’t shy away from the humour and courage they display. It’s a series about survival, self-definition, and, above all, hope.”
The 8×24’ series Louise Lives Large debuts on RTÉ in Ireland and Family Channel in Canada on April 3rd, 2024. The series launches on KETNET in Belgium in Fall 2024
Shot on location in Ireland, Louise Lives Large is an official Ireland-Belgium-Canada treaty coproduction produced by Julianne Forde and Mairtín de Barra (Tailored Films, Ireland), Maarten Schmidt and Xavier Rombaut (Storyhouse, Polar Bear, Belgium) and Virginia Thompson and Robert de Lint (Vérité Films,Canada). The series is financed by RTÉ, Ketnet, and Family Channel, with the support of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, Rialtas na hÉireann/the Government of Ireland, Creative Europe, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), the Belgian Tax Shelter, the Flanders Tax Shelter, Ontario Creates, and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Wildbrain is the global distributor of the series.
