Erin Doherty was almost unrecognisable as she filmed scenes for the BBC’s new six-part drama California Avenue, appearing in full 1970s costume and makeup on Thursday.
The 33-year-old actress, who plays a character named Lela, hid her real hair under a blunt blonde wig with a fringe and wore heavy blue eyeshadow, a psychedelic blue-and-green maxi dress, a tailored denim trench coat, a paisley scarf and a cream handbag. In the scene filmed on location she appeared to be panicked as she ran to scold a young male actor who was wearing a makeshift astronaut costume and appeared to be playing her son.
Between takes Doherty was seen consulting a folded script she had pulled from her bag. The series, written and directed by BAFTA winner Hugo Blick, was first announced by the BBC in June. It is set in a secluded canal-side caravan park in the English countryside and centres on Lela and her 11-year-old child, who arrive at the hidden community on the run and seeking refuge.
According to production descriptions, California Avenue follows how a fractured family begins to come together amid the arrival of Lela, while longstanding personal ghosts and tensions are confronted and a new romantic bond emerges. The cast includes Bill Nighy and Helena Bonham Carter as Lela’s parents, Jerry and Eddie, and Tom Burke as a showman outcast named Cooper.
Blick said the project was "an exploration of the people who inspired me to want to do this," adding that his work has ranged across genres over the past decades. Filming locations, production schedule and a release date have not been publicly confirmed by the BBC.
Doherty, known for her portrayal of Princess Anne in seasons three and four of The Crown, has recently received attention for her work in the limited series Adolescence. Her appearance on the California Avenue set comes days before the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, where she is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as Briony Ariston in Netflix’s Adolescence.
Critics singled out a gripping single-take sequence in Adolescence in which Doherty’s character, a child psychologist, interviews a teenager accused of murder. The Guardian called that episode "the most astounding" of the series. Adolescence has been nominated in multiple Emmy categories, including Best Limited or Anthology Series, and collected a total of 13 nominations.
Other Emmy nominations tied to the series include Stephen Graham for Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and writing recognition for co-creator Jack Thorne alongside Graham’s nods. Ashley Walters is nominated in the Supporting Actor category. Fifteen-year-old Owen Cooper, who plays the accused teenager, is also nominated; if he wins, he would become the youngest-ever male winner in the ceremony’s history.
California Avenue represents Doherty’s next television project as she balances stage and screen roles. The BBC has positioned the series as a blend of humour and drama rooted in character-driven storytelling. Further casting announcements and a broadcast date are expected as production progresses.