A new film adaptation is set to bring to life the dark stories of Irish women who turned to crime during their time in America, thanks to a hit podcast and bestselling book about their lives.
The Bad Bridgets project, which started as an academic research by two history professors, has evolved into a phenomenon that's now crossing over to the big screen. The film, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Emilia Jones, will explore the shadowy world of sex workers, thieves, drunkards, and killers that Irish emigrant women inhabited in 19th-century New York.
The idea for the project was born out of a dusty archive trawl by the academics, who uncovered a hidden world of female crime that's been largely erased from history. They coined the term "Bad Bridgets," referring to the notorious women who were forced onto the wrong side of the law due to poverty and abuse back home.
The research shed light on stories like that of Ellen Price, who was taken into custody in Toronto after getting drunk and singing a popular song, or Margaret Brown, also known as Old Mother Hubbard, who tried to escape from prison by tying bedsheets together. These women's stories were often reduced to footnotes in the traditional narrative about Irish emigrant experiences.
The podcast and book that spawned this new film adaptation have been praised for shedding light on a previously overlooked chapter of Irish history. The historians behind it all are now cautiously optimistic about how their work will be adapted for the screen, trusting director Rich Peppiatt to bring their stories to life in an exciting way.
Their collaboration with production company LuckyChap, which is also behind films like Kneecap and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has them feeling reassured that their voices will still be heard. "We'll leave the film up to Rich," said Leanne McCormick, one of the historians. "He's got amazing ideas and we're really looking forward to seeing how it turns out."
When asked about what they hope to see on screen, Elaine Farrell replied with a dash of humor. "That's our main concern, you know, what we'll wear for the red carpet."
The Bad Bridgets project, which started as an academic research by two history professors, has evolved into a phenomenon that's now crossing over to the big screen. The film, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Emilia Jones, will explore the shadowy world of sex workers, thieves, drunkards, and killers that Irish emigrant women inhabited in 19th-century New York.
The idea for the project was born out of a dusty archive trawl by the academics, who uncovered a hidden world of female crime that's been largely erased from history. They coined the term "Bad Bridgets," referring to the notorious women who were forced onto the wrong side of the law due to poverty and abuse back home.
The research shed light on stories like that of Ellen Price, who was taken into custody in Toronto after getting drunk and singing a popular song, or Margaret Brown, also known as Old Mother Hubbard, who tried to escape from prison by tying bedsheets together. These women's stories were often reduced to footnotes in the traditional narrative about Irish emigrant experiences.
The podcast and book that spawned this new film adaptation have been praised for shedding light on a previously overlooked chapter of Irish history. The historians behind it all are now cautiously optimistic about how their work will be adapted for the screen, trusting director Rich Peppiatt to bring their stories to life in an exciting way.
Their collaboration with production company LuckyChap, which is also behind films like Kneecap and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has them feeling reassured that their voices will still be heard. "We'll leave the film up to Rich," said Leanne McCormick, one of the historians. "He's got amazing ideas and we're really looking forward to seeing how it turns out."
When asked about what they hope to see on screen, Elaine Farrell replied with a dash of humor. "That's our main concern, you know, what we'll wear for the red carpet."
I'm so hyped about this new film adaptation! Those Irish women's stories are like, totally forgotten in history 
. I mean, can you imagine being forced into crime because of poverty and abuse? It's like, we need to shine a light on these unsung heroes (or villains?) who defied the odds and lived life on their own terms 
.
. They're gonna bring these stories to life in a way that's both authentic and exciting. And can we talk about Daisy Edgar-Jones and Emilia Jones as our leading ladies? 
They're gonna slay those roles!
. And omg, those red carpet outfits? Bring on the drama 
!
. Also, how cool is it that they're not just making a film, but also getting some attention on themselves - like, what do they plan to wear to the premiere? 
.
! It's crazy that these women were basically erased from history. I'm also loving the fact that the historians are trusting Rich Peppiatt to bring it all to life on screen, he seems like an amazing director who's gonna do justice to their stories 
. Can't wait to see what the final product looks like! 
... like I'm already invested in these stories - who knew Irish women had such wild lives in 19th-century America? 