MEDIA RELEASE: Macha Grenon, Éric Bruneau, Patrick Watson and Kim Lévesque Lizotte join NRK and Crave Original Drama SO LONG, MARIANNE

– Eight-part series is co-produced by Montréal based Connect3 for Crave and NRK –

Montréal – Crave and NRK announced today additional Canadian cast members for the highly anticipated new drama series SO LONG, MARIANNE, co-produced by Montréal’s Connect3 (part of the Cineflix Media group of companies), about the legendary love story of Canadian singer and poet Leonard Cohen, and Marianne Ihlen.

Joining the lead cast of Alex Wolff (Leonard), Thea Sofie Loch Næss (Marianne), Anna Torv (Charmian Clift), Noah Taylor (George Johnston), and Peter Stormare (Irving Layton); is Macha Grenon, alongside special appearances from Éric Bruneau, Kim Lévesque Lizotte, and singer-songwriter Patrick Watson.

Macha Grenon plays Leonard’s mother, Masha Cohen; while Éric Bruneau takes on the role of Cohen’s long-time friend Robert Hershorn; and Kim Lévesque Lizotte plays Monique Mercure, who runs into Marianne at a party in Montréal. Patrick Watson has a cameo as a singer who performs for Cohen on a rooftop.

Robin L’Houmeau, Raphael Grosz-Harvey, Miranda Calderon, Tatiana Latreille, Ryan Bommarito, Emily Lê, Frank Fontaine, Megan Jonker, Sonia Berube, Rob Stewart, Chip Chuipka, Howard Bilerman, and Avi Bendahan round out the Canadian cast.

“Today’s casting news amplifies the excitement and anticipation for SO LONG, MARIANNE,” said Carlyn Klebuc, General Manager, Original Programming at Bell Media. “The series is an expansive, sweeping international co-production that travels the world, and Crave is thrilled to bring the series, and Cohen’s celebrated story, to life for audiences in English and French.”

“Connect3 is committed to showcasing the best creatives on and off camera, and it’s been wonderful to work with the talented teams in our hometown of Montréal,” added Pablo Salzman, Executive Producer and President, Connect3. “We’re thrilled to be working with Crave, NRK, and Cineflix Rights to bring such an iconic story to audiences worldwide.”

Set in some of the most beautiful international locations during the 1960s, SO LONG, MARIANNE is an intimate tale of two lonely people falling in love, during a period of their life when they are trying to figure out who they are and their place in the world, while one is becoming one of the most famous singers of all time.

Just as it served as a backdrop for Cohen’s life, Montréal will also feature heavily in SO LONG, MARIANNE. Crave audiences will recognize a number of landmarks, such as McGill University where Cohen studied, distinctive restaurants Toqué! and Greenspot, and the Des Seigneurs Bridge.

SO LONG, MARIANNE is developed by Ingeborg Klyve (Exit), Øystein Karlsen (Exit, Dag, Lilyhammer, Whitstable Pearl) and Tony Wood (Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Marcella, Whitstable Pearl) and written for the screen by Øystein Karlsen and Jo Nesbø (Harry Hole, Kingdom, Headhunters). The series is directed by Øystein Karlsen and Bronwen Hughes (Shantaram, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul). SO LONG MARIANNE is co-produced by Redpoint Productions, Tanweer Productions, and Connect3.  The Executive Producers are Ales Ree for NRK, Richard Tulk-Hart and Tony Wood, Vegard Stenberg Eriksen and Ingeborg Klyve for Redpoint Productions, Dionyssis Samiotis and Nancy Kokolaki for Tanweer Productions, and André Barro and Pablo Salzman for Connect3.

Connect3 is part of the Cineflix Media group of companies, the leading international media company which is also headquartered in Montréal with operations in Toronto, New York, London, and Dublin. Cineflix Rights is distributing the series globally.

SO LONG, MARIANNE will be available to Crave subscribers in French and English.