Toni Collette has said she expects to “start conversations” with her new series Wanderlust, which questions whether lifelong monogamy is possible – or even desirable.
The Australian actress plays therapist Joy, who wants to put the spark back in her marriage, in the BBC1 drama.
As viewers meet her family, friends, neighbours and clients, remarkable stories of love, lust and forbidden desire emerge.
Collette said: “Wanderlust is so honest and funny in how it looks at some aspects of living that are not often talked about.
“It’s going to excite people and start conversations.”
The actress said she was drawn to the project because of the dialogue by writer and creator Nick Payne.
“Nick’s writing felt so real and warm and familiar. It’s both moving and very funny,” she said.
“I also very much enjoy the idea of people waking up and living the life they really want to live.
“It’s brave and inspirational in that way.”
Steven Mackintosh plays Joy’s husband Alan, who is initially blindsided when his wife comes up with an unorthodox romantic proposal.
The actor said he did not have any reservations about the role.
“I knew an element of this was the sexual element,” he said.
“But it was only one element of this story, which is ultimately about relationships and love and people who are on a quest for very similar things in life.
“The (sex) scenes are funny too in their own way. They are not earnestly trying to represent sex in a generic, soft-focus way.
“It presents it in a way that feels real, much like the people are, with all of their clumsiness and idiosyncrasies.”
A co-production with Netflix, the series will premiere in the UK on BBC1 and globally outside of the UK on Netflix.
Wanderlust starts on BBC1 on September 4 at 9pm.