Sophie Turner transformed into ‘the Godmother of crime‘ Joan Hannington in the first official trailer for ITV drama, Joan.
The actress, 28, portrays one of Britain’s most notorious diamond thieves in the upcoming show, with a first look at the series showing Sophie emulate Joan through a series of disguises.
In the trailer, set to Habanera from the opera Carmen, Sophie was seen romping with her co-star Frank Dillane, who plays her on-screen lover Boisie Hannington.
Sophie is also seen swallowing diamonds, a tactic the real-life Joan used repeatedly to temporarily hide any evidence of her crimes.
She is also seen marching down a hallway while sporting a bruised face and a possibly broken nose, suggesting her life of crime may be an attempt to escape a dangerous background.
Sophie Turner transformed into ‘the Godmother of crime’ Joan Hannington in the first official trailer for ITV drama, Joan
In the trailer, set to Habanera from the opera Carmen, Sophie was seen romping with her co-star Frank Dillane, who plays her on-screen lover Boisie Hannington
The actress, 28, portrays one of Britain’s most notorious diamond thieves in the upcoming show (pictured with the real life Joan on set)
Another shot of the actress looking over her shoulders suggests she’s being pursued, and a subsequent rear-view mirror shot of a police cruiser with its lights flashing behind her seems to confirm as much.
While the teaser hints that Joan will focus on some of the more sordid aspects of the jewel thief’s life, it also shows some of the more glamorous parts of her life as she drives a sports car down a twisting coastal road on rocky cliffs.
The ITV synopsis reads: ‘When her partner Gary goes on the run, Joan seizes the chance to start a new life with her six-year-old daughter, Kelly.
‘Delving deeper into the criminal underworld, Joan meets Boisie, an enigmatic antiques dealer whose allure introduces her to new levels of danger and passion.
‘Through sharp intelligence, irresistible charm, and a talent for impersonation, Joan’s journey is a high-stakes game of survival and reinvention.
‘Every heist and every stolen diamond is driven by her singular purpose: to create a secure future for her daughter.’
Much of what is known about Joan Hannington comes from her 2004 memoir, I Am What I Am.
The jewel thief, who nicknamed herself The Godmother, cut her education short at 13, and at 17 she married Ray Pavey, who had been convicted of armed robbery and was 10 years older than her, according to Harper’s Bazaar.
The teaser showcased Turner in a number of strikingly different looks as she showcased the eponymous jewel thief’s numerous disguises
The lead actress shows off her ability to assume new personas in the opening moments, when she’s seen from behind at a vanity
A shot of Sophie marching down a hallway while sporting a bruised face and a possibly broken nose suggests her life of crime may be an attempt to escape a dangerous background
Less than a year later, her daughter Debbie was born, but Ray went to prison when she was still a young child, which forced Joan to put her into foster care.
One of the first things Joan stole was a car, which she used to drive to see her daughter Debbie, though the police quickly caught her. Afterward, she and Pavey separated, and the wealthy couple who had been fostering Debbie won custody of her.
After Joan finished a two-year probation sentence, she began working at a high-class jewelry store, where she picked up her habit of stealing and swallowing jewels.
She subsequently married Boisie Hannington, who publicly worked as an antiques dealer while being a thief behind the scenes.
Together, the two hatched schemes to counterfeit checks and to deal fake antiques, and Joan also continued to steal millions in jewels.
But just days after her second child, a son named Benny, was born, Joan’s husband Boisie was killed while attempt to burn a house down for insurance money, leaving her a young widow.
The thief then reportedly gave away her ill-gotten possessions and apparently tried to start anew, and in 2004 she published her memoir.
Hannington was reportedly gave her input on the new series, which was created by Anna Symon and written by Symon and the screenwriter and novelist Helen Black.
While the teaser hints that Joan will focus on some of the more sordid aspects of the jewel thief’s life, it also shows some of the more glamorous parts of her life
There’s also a hint of romance, as Sophie is embraced after a dip in the ocean
She’s also seen swallowing her jewels, a tactic the real-life Joan used repeatedly to temporarily hide any evidence of her crimes
In her cover story for the June 2024 issue of British Vogue, Sophie recounted how she was away filming Joan in September 2023 when her separation from her husband Joe Jonas was splashed across headlines.
The Jonas brothers singer filed for divorce from his actress wife, and a court battle over where their children would reside subsequently ensued after he refused to take them to spend time with her in the UK as had allegedly been planned in advance.
‘I remember I was on set, I was contracted to be on set for another two weeks, so I couldn’t leave,’ she recalled.
‘My kids were in the States and I couldn’t get to them because I had to finish Joan. And all these articles started coming out.’
Sophie was famously pictured partying in the UK days before Joe filed for divorce. It later emerged that she was attending the Joan wrap party.
Joan will air on ITV in September for British viewers, while US-based viewers can catch it on The CW beginning on October 2.
Sophie was away filming Joan in September 2023 when her separation from her husband Joe Jonas was splashed across headlines (pictured in 2022)
