With its upcoming The Nevers fantasy series, HBO is hoping to replicate the success of recent fan-favorite hits like Game of Thrones. HBO’s upcoming project, which crosses genres of sci-fi and historical fiction, was created by Avengers 1 and 2 director Joss Whedon, who recently walked away from his latest project. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator stated that some “unprecedented challenges” impacted his life, forcing him to leave. And it The Nevers stars Laura Donnelly and Ann Skelly affirm that some personal reasons were behind Whedon’s choice.
“He left for personal reasons and you can’t argue with that,” Donnelly said while talking with EW. “People have to look after themselves, they gotta look after their families, they gotta look after their mental well-being. These are all the conversations that we’re having at the moment and it’s really important that that happens.”
Concomitantly with Joss Whedon’s exit from The Nevers, the Angel creator received myriad workplace abuse and harassment claims. While Whedon never really addressed those accusations, he left The Nevers and Philippa Goslett took over the project.
“I’ll miss him going back to work, but I am very trusting in who we have leading the show now, Philippa Goslett,” Skelly added. “I’ve had a couple of Zoom meetings at this point and she’s really made me feel very comforted that the show is in her hands and HBO trusts her immensely. I think she’ll continue on [in] that really positive atmosphere.”
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In the same interview, Skelly also described the relationship between the two protagonists of the upcoming series, her Penance Adair and Donnelly’s Amalia True.
“There’s a great balance because the two characters have different world views and life experiences,” she said. “They go about handling things very differently, but then they can come together and take on the world. The most lovely thing about friendship is to be able to have a person that you’re so close with that you can experience the most difficult things with and have a sense of humor about it or to enjoy the journey together. They balance each other out.”
The Nevers will debut on HBO on April 11.
What do you think about Joss Whedon’s exit from The Nevers? Let us know in the comment section!
Recommended Reading: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Vol. 1
