Cast members already announced include Rosamund Pike, Kate Winslet and Taron Egerton
Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, French & Saunders), Matt Lucas (Bridesmaids, Doctor Who) and Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey, Pride & Prejudice) are among a new raft of names revealed today, March 13, to be joining the cast of upcoming animation, MOOMINVALLEY. They are the latest stars to be associated with the family drama, with previously announced cast members including Taron Egerton (Moomintroll), Rosamund Pike (Moominmamma), and Kate Winslet (Mrs Fillyjonk).
The show’s production company, Gutsy Animations, has confirmed that Saunders is on board to voice the character of Mymble, while Steadman and Lucas will lend their voices to Emma the Stage Rat and Teety-Woo, respectively. Katie Leung (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Rebecca Root (The Danish Girl, Boy Meets Girl) are also welcomed into the fold, voicing the characters of Too-Ticky and Misabel.
Speaking about her excitement to be cast in the show, Alison Steadman said, “I was so thrilled to be asked to take part in Moominvalley. It’s such a brilliant show and different from anything I’ve ever done before. The recording was so fun, I didn’t want it to end!”
MOOMINVALLEY is based on the beloved Moomin stories by Finnish-Swedish artist Tove Jansson and will consist of two series of 13 x 22-minute-long episodes. It will broadcast in 2019 on Sky One in the UK and public broadcaster YLE in Finland. The show is being created by an outstanding team, including Oscar®-winning director Steve Box (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit).
Creative Director and Executive Producer at Finland-based production company Gutsy Animations, Marika Makaroff, said, “We always knew we had a very special project on our hands and it is extremely gratifying to see that others – so many of whom have worked on countless award-winning films and shows - think so too. We’re delighted to welcome these exceptionally talented actors to the MOOMINVALLEY family and can’t wait to share their, and our, work on the show with the world.”
The Moomins are one of Finland’s biggest exports and have a global fan base. They have enjoyed popularity in the UK since the 1950’s, when the original Moomin comic strips were published in the Evening News newspaper. The show has the approval of Moomin Characters, the business set up by Moomin creator Tove Jansson and her brother Lars in the 1950s, and Bulls Licensing, their global licensing agent.
For further information please contact Laura Curtis at Riot Communications on
020 3174 0118 / 07462333110 / laura@riotcommunications.com
Cast and characters:
Moominmamma – Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, A United Kingdom, An Education)
Moominpappa – Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, Toast of London, The Philanthropist)
Moomintroll – Taron Egerton (Kingsman, Eddie the Eagle, Testament of Youth)
Snorkmaiden – Akiya Henry (Bing, Bottersnikes and Gumble, Noddy in Toyland)
Sniff – Warwick Davis (Harry Potter, Star Wars, Life’s Too Short)
Little My – Bel Powley (The Diary of a Teenage Girl, A Royal Night Out, Carrie Pilby)
Snufkin – Edvin Endre (Eddie the Eagle, Vikings, Nameja gredzens)
Ninny - Mayumi Kawai
Teety-Woo – Matt Lucas (Bridesmaids, Doctor Who, Little Britain)
Too-Ticky – Katie Leung (Harry Potter)
Misabel – Rebecca Root (The Danish Girl, Boy Meets Girl)
Mymble – Jennifer Saunders (Absolutely Fabulous, French and Saunders, Shrek)
Emma the Stage Rat – Alison Steadman (Gavin & Stacey, Pride & Prejudice)
Hemulen (Female) – Susie Brann
Hemulen (Male) – Joe Wilkinson (Rovers, Miranda, Him & Her)
Mrs Fillyjonk – Kate Winslet (Titanic, Revolutionary Road, The Reader)
The Muskrat – Will Self (Shooting Stars, author of Phone and Sky Arts drama The Minor Character)
The Ghost – Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd, presenter of Travel Man & Crystal Maze)
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Gutsy Animations
Gutsy is a team of creators and producers who believe that the world is in need of funny, clever, gutsy and – above all – meaningful content. All of its productions are aimed at international audiences and based on a concept of genuine social impact.
About Moomin Characters
Oy Moomin Characters Ltd is the owner, originator and official company responsible for supervising and managing the Moomins' brand, copyright and registrations. The company was started in 1958 by Tove Jansson and her brother Lars Jansson and even today is run by family members. Sophia Jansson, Lars's daughter and Tove's niece, is Chairman of the Board and Creative Director at Moomin Characters. All characters from Moominvalley are registered trademarks.
Moomin in the UK
The Moomins are currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity in the UK. In 2017, a series of major Moomin-themed events and exhibitions took place, including Southbank Centre’s immersive Adventures in Moominland and Kew Gardens’ Easter Festival. Dulwich Picture Gallery presented the first major UK exhibition of work by Tove Jansson – including not only Moomin drawings but also Jansson’s surrealist-inspired paintings of the 1930s and abstract works of the ‘60s, her satirical anti-war cartoons and book jacket designs – and the Moomins featured prominently at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival.
A diverse range of quality Moomin products are available in the UK, from new Collectors’ Editions of the original Moomin stories (published by Sort of Books) and a guide to the Moomins, The World of Moominvalley (published by Macmillan Children’s Books), to 100% cashmere sweaters and other accessories from fashion label Chinti and Parker.
Moomin around the world
In June 2017 the world’s first Moomin Museum opened in Tampere, Finland, presenting 300 of Tove Jansson’s drawings and paintings and 30 Moomin tableaux created by Tove’s partner, the artist Tuulikki Pietilä. A 12-month Moomin exhibition began touring major cities in South Korea in late 2017 and a new Moomin theme park is soon to open in Tokyo.