Michelle Keegan is reportedly poised to score a multi-million pound deal from Netflix to help her crack America after the success of her series Fool Me Once.
The actress, 36, stars alongside Joanna Lumley in the hit thriller, which is an adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel, and shot to the top of the Netflix charts worldwide this month.
Following the success, it has now been reported that the streaming platform is keen to secure Michelle for a number of other projects.
The offer could help the former Coronation Street star crack America, and also bag a massive paycheck.
The Sun: ‘She’s proved you don’t have to be the stereotypical plum-voiced leading lady to appeal to an international audience.
‘Michelle offers something different, but with all the charm, glamour and sex appeal that makes her one of Britain’s most exciting acting exports. America is seen as a market where they believe she could make the greatest impact.’
The insider added: ‘With so many rival streamers eyeing Michelle up now, it’s a no-brainer for Netflix to sign her. But they’re likely to have to offer her a six-figure sum to keep her for multiple projects.’
It comes after MailOnline revealed last week that Michelle has become the talk of Hollywood after catching the eye of movie bigwigs in Fool Me Once.
She’s been inundated with movie scripts and proposals for potential new roles as film chiefs fight it out to make Michelle the latest Brit actress to conquer the big screen.
A source said: ‘The response to Fool Me Once has been overwhelming. The phone calls and offers have been coming in from Hollywood film executives, it’s different to anything Michelle has experienced before.
‘Netflix is a global platform and the show has given her the opportunity to shine. Her career has already been a success but now her star is rising, everyone can feel that this is the beginning of something special.
‘Michelle feels lucky that she’s always played likeable characters but now she’s hoping to take it up a notch by landing a film role.
‘She aspires to play a dark character in a hard-hitting thriller, which will be a challenge that she’s completely ready for.’
Michelle shot to fame on Corrie as feisty Tina McIntyre back in 2008, starring on the soap for six years and in almost 900 episodes.
She went on to win main roles in BBC TV dramas Our Girl and Ten Pound Poms, plus Sky comedy Brassic.
After she left the soap opera to pursue other acting roles, Michelle admitted fearing she would never work again.
She described the decision as a ‘risk’, particularly as her character was killed off, ending any chance of a return to the role.
But she’s since surpassed her own expectations by landing multiple TV roles and now playing the lead in Fool Me Once, which has been produced by Nicola Shindler, who was also behind Happy Valley.
Michelle plays military pilot Maya Stern, who believes she sees her dead husband – played by Richard Armitage – on her nanny-cam after his funeral.
She has won plaudits for her role as grieving widow turned super sleuth as she worked to unearth what really happened to her husband Joe, believing his murder could be linked to her sister’s killing eight months earlier.
Speaking on the Graham Norton Show last Friday, Michelle admitted she is struggling to believe how well the series has gone down with viewers across the globe.
She said: ‘It’s madness that it’s number one all over the world. I was always a huge fan of Harlan Coben books so when I got the call it was “Yes, absolutely,” and I grabbed it with both hands.’
In 2018, Harlan signed a five-year mega-deal with Netflix, which allowed the streaming giant to adapt 14 of his novels into English and foreign-language series.
Fool Me Once is the fourth English production, coming after Safe (2018), The Stranger (2020) and Stay Close, which was released in 2022.
Polish shows The Woods and Hold Tight premiered on Netflix in 2020 and 2022 respectively, whilst Spanish production The Innocent and French show Gone for Good were released in 2021.
As well as his Netflix deal, Harlan has partnerships with Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video, while Netflix are also set to adapt his 11-book Myron Bolitar series.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
