CBS’ “Elementary” has cast the key role of Irene Adler with a favorite actor from “Game of Thrones.”
The network announced on Tuesday (April 9) that Natalie Dormer has signed on for a three-episode arc playing love-of-Sherlock’s-life Irene Adler in a season-ending run on “Elementary.”
Dormer’s run will begin on Thursday, May 9 and will continue through the two-hour finale.
“We’re moving to the next chapter in our show — and in some ways, to a previous chapter in Holmes’ story,” blurbs executive producer and creator Rob Doherty. “Irene Adler is perhaps the most pivotal relationship in Sherlock’s life, and I can’t think of an actress better suited to the challenge than Natalie.”
Adler has most recently been played on the small screen by Lara Pulver on “Sherlock.” Within the world of “Elementary,” though, the character was murdered by the mysterious Moriarty, setting off Sherlock’s spiral into drug addiction.
At the Television Critics Association press tour in January, I specifically asked Doherty about having as important a Sherlock Holmes character as Adler identified as dead and if audiences were really supposed to believe that dead-means-dead.
“She”s an important element of Sherlock”s backstory, especially our Sherlock,” Doherty answered. “I”d love to have a face to that name. And we”ve talked, in a very roundabout way, about maybe doing a flashback show where we can see a little bit more of why why would someone like our Sherlock be drawn to this particular woman? What is it about her that would that he would be attracted to? She”s got to be pretty unique. So we definitely want to meet her. And so in that sense, you will see a living, breathing actress reading lines and portraying Irene.”
We’ll see if Adler’s appearance is all in flashback, or if something more is afoot. And we’ll also see if Adler’s introduction leads directly to the introduction of Moriarty.
Dormer is currently playing Margaery Tyrell on HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and fans of that favorite shouldn’t stress out about Dormer’s ability to do a three-episode network arc during a hiatus. Her other credits include “The Tudors” and the first “Captain America” movie.