An ensemble cast, dominated by young Australian talent, has just finished filming ABC’s 2022 drama Barons. Set in the 1970s hedonistic world of surfing and the cutthroat culture of entrepreneurship, Barons’ sense of adventure, fun, and infinite possibilities, will appeal to both young and young at heart audiences.
Barons tells the story of a surf-crazed group of hippy friends who turn their backs on the world in search of their ideal patch of surfing paradise. Little do they know that their desire for ultimate freedom and the perfect wave will take them from the beach to the boardroom, creating billion-dollar empires. But in selling their surfing dream to the world, these best friends will become fierce rivals and the question for this found family is – once you sell paradise can you ever get it back again?
Headlining the eight-part series are Sean Keenan (Puberty Blues, Glitch) as “Trotter” and Ben O’Toole (Halifax: Retribution) as “Snapper”, best friends turned bitter rivals going head-to-head to build their billion-dollar surf empires, alongside Jillian Nguyen (Clickbait) as Trotter’s wife and business partner, “Tracy”. Joining them are Hunter Page-Lochard (Fires), George Pullar (Fighting Season), Lincoln Younes (Grand Hotel), Sophia Forrest (Ride Like a Girl), Vivienne Awosoga (Wentworth), Nicholas Burton (Pieces of Her), Karina Banno (Reckoning), newcomer Megan MacKenzie, Kick Gurry (Edge of Tomorrow), Catherine Van-Davies (Hungry Ghosts), Alexander England (Offspring) and British-American actor Ione Skye (Arrested Development).
Having navigated strict covid protocols to bring the world of Barons to life, was acclaimed set up director Shawn Seet (The Code, Storm Boy) working alongside Fadia Abboud (Here Out West), while Emmy award-winning surf director Taylor Steele (Momentum, Momentum Generation) captured all the surf action.
Barons will be an ABC TV and ABC iview television event in 2022.
Production credit: 2 Jons, Micanical Media, and Fremantle production for ABC with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the ABC.