Finding Joy

#Teilifis: Acorn Media Enterprises boards RTÉ and Treasure Entertainment’s Finding Joy as co-producer

Acorn Media Enterprises, the UK-based development division of American subscription streaming service Acorn TV, has joined RTÉ and Treasure Entertainment as co-producer on Amy Huberman’s new TV series Finding Joy.

The six-part series, written and starring Irish Film & TV Academy winner Amy Huberman, follows a single woman, Joy, who looks for happiness in all the wrong places after a painful break-up. Finding Joy explores the many amusing ways we seek happiness and fulfilment in these modern digital times by following 34-year-old Joy, who is just trying to get on with her life after a recent break up from her long-term boyfriend, Aidan.

Finding Joy will begin shooting in Dublin this month with director Kieron J Walsh (Jump). It also stars Aisling Bea, Laura Whitmore, Lochlann O’Mearain, Jennifer Rainsford, Catherine Walker, Paul Reid, Hannah Scott, and Mark Doherty. The series is being produced by Rob Walpole and Rebecca O’Flanagan for Treasure Entertainment and Director of Photography is Cathal Watters (Peaky Blinders, Viva).

As part of the deal Acorn gets the rights to air the series in North America, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, as well as acquiring secondary rights in Ireland. RTÉ will air the series first in Ireland later this year. Acorn has previously aired RTÉ dramas Striking Out and Acceptable Risk, the former also starring Amy Huberman.

Acorn is part of RLJ Entertainment, who have released Irish films Pilgrimage and I Kill Giants in the U.S. AME in the UK is run by Shane Murphy, who previously worked for Irish production company Deadpan Pictures and as co-production consultant at RTÉ, as well as head of acquisitions and development at FremantleMedia and commercial director at UK production company Tiger Aspect

With her screen presence as well as her friendly and down-to-earth personality, Amy remains one of the most beloved actresses in Ireland and is creating a rapidly growing fanbase in North America with last year’s debut of her legal drama Striking Out. Amy is a complete joy to be around, so we know our subscribers will enjoy spending time with her first scripted series. She has crafted a very funny and relatable lead character as well as a fun group of supporting characters. Given the overwhelming popularity of RTE’s Striking Out and Acceptable Risk with Acorn TV subscribers, we’re thrilled to co-produce another series with our friends at RTÉ.
Shane Murphy, Managing Director – Acorn Media Enterprises

I’m thrilled and excited to be starting on this adventure, Finding Joy. I’ve thoroughly loved the writing process and now can’t wait to start filming and see the world and all the characters come to life. I’m delighted to continue my collaboration with Treasure Entertainment with whom I’ve had a long standing working relationship and am thrilled that both Acorn and RTÉ are partnering with us on this venture.
Amy Huberman, Writer/Actor

Amy is naturally a very funny person, and in Finding Joy she brings that comedy gene to the fore. Her writing is sharp, witty and smart, and in this six-part series she has created engaging, relatable characters that will go down very well with the audience. Once again it is our key objective to support and develop Irish talent, on and off screen, and with Treasure Entertainment producing it promises to be a cracker of a series. We are absolutely thrilled to be bringing Amy’s comic voice, not just to the Irish screen, but also internationally with our US production partners Acorn TV.
Justin Healy, Executive Producer for Comedy – RTÉ

We are delighted to be in production on this exciting project. We have worked with Amy over a number of years now and have such belief in her talent as both an actor and a writer. Her voice is fresh, smart and funny and we were very proud to be bringing it to the screen.
Rebecca O’Flanagan, Producer – Treasure Entertainment