What links The Essex Serpent to a brave De Niro impression and a Taylor Swift T-shirt?

The one approach is …

Again in 2016, Sarah Perry’s second novel, The Essex Serpent, went from well-received to word-of-mouth bestseller to award winner. Now, the Victorian gothic story a couple of mysterious creature haunting Essex (no, not Eddie Hearn) has ascended to the best potential airplane: the lavish TV adaptation. The six-part sequence launched on Apple TV+ on 13 Could.

Sarah Perry wrote The Essex Serpent … Photograph: Jamie Drew

Cora the explorer

Forsaking her expansive Homeland thoughts maps, Claire Danes performs Cora, a widow who departs Victorian London for a village close to the Blackwater estuary, solely to get dragged into native intrigue involving a terrifying folktale coming to life. Tom Hiddleston stars as Will, the person attempting to maintain the beast at bay.

… through which Claire Danes stars alongside Tom Hiddleston … Photograph: Apple TV

Loki man

Hiddleston has at all times bounced confidently between status TV, indie movie and Marvel blockbusters however – earlier than he began dancing and singing in quite a few public settings, or determined to do a mean impression of Robert De Niro to his face! – he appeared in Jim Jarmusch’s unusual, beguiling, existential vampire movie Solely Lovers Left Alive.

… who additionally appeared in Solely Lovers Left Alive by Jim Jarmusch … Photograph: Allstar

Queen of the Croisette

In 1986, Jarmusch launched his third movie, Down By Legislation, an odd, beguiling existential jailbreak film. One Claire Denis labored on it as an assistant director – the Frenchwoman would go on to be a grasp director in her personal proper, with the likes of Chocolat and Beau Travail. The Cannes movie competition opens on Tuesday and Denis’ newest, The Stars at Midday, is amongst these vying for the Palme d’Or.

… whose third movie was labored on by Claire Denis, director of The Stars at Midday … Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock

Swift half

The Stars at Midday options Joe Alwyn, who additionally seems in BBC Three’s Conversations With Pals, beginning on 15 Could. Alwyn can also be Taylor Swift’s “London boy”; it was love. However lengthy earlier than that, Swift was in an odd showmance with Tom Hiddleston; he has the T-shirt to indicate for it, however now will probably be seen in The Essex Serpent’s Victorian garb.

… which options Joe Alwyn, ‘London boy’ of Taylor Swift, who beforehand dated Tom Hiddleston. Photograph: WireImage/Getty

Pairing notes

Watch Essex Serpent director Clio Barnard got here to prominence along with her experimental movie The Arbor about troubled Bradford playwright Andrea Dunbar, creator of such basic fashionable dramas as Rita, Sue and Bob Too.

Eat Not removed from the Blackwater estuary is the much-loved fish shack The Firm Shed in West Mersea. BYOB; delight within the seafood platters.