Australian actor and comedian Chris Lilley is teaming up with Netflix on his next major project, which will begin filming on Queensland’s Gold Coast this month.
The 10-episode comedy series, which is yet to be given an official title, is set to be filmed between March and June, and is expected to give the local economy a $6.35 million boost.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she is “delighted to have enticed” Lilley and producer Laura Waters — who worked on shows like Summer Heights High, We Can Be Heroes and Angry Boys — to film their project in Queensland.
“The series will employ up to 250 Queensland cast and extras, plus around 100 Queensland crew,” she says.
“The project will also support two local screen practitioners, who will have the opportunity to work on the series to further develop their professional skills.”
Lilley was widely criticised last year — including by A.B. Original rapper Briggs — after posting a music video to Instagram which showed him wearing blackface.
The video, a remake of Lilley’s 2011 song ‘Squashed N***a’, featured an Indigenous boy being hit by a truck, and came just days after a man was cleared of manslaughter charges over the death of 14-year-old Indigenous boy Elijah Doughty.
Lilley said the video was “not connected in any way to current news stories” and apologised for “any hurt caused by the misinterpretation”.
Lilley’s new project with Netflix is part of the Queensland Government’s $50 million Production attraction strategy.
Netflix, meanwhile, is also scheduled to begin production on its first-ever Australian original series Tidelands in Queensland later this year.
UPDATE 28/05/18: Chris Lilley’s New Netflix Show Has A Controversial New Character
