Washington DC [US], January 28: Connor Swindells, known for his role in Sex Education and Barbie, has joined the star-studded cast of The Entertainment System Is Down. The film also stars A-listers like Keanu Reeves, Nicholas Braun, Samantha Morton, Kirsten Dunst, and Tobias Menzies, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Directed by Ruben Ostlund, the film marks Swindells’ entry into the project alongside new cast members Daniel Webber (The Punisher), Wayne Blair, Dan Wyllie, and Lindsay Duncan (Birdman).
Set on a long-haul flight between England and Australia, the film follows passengers who must endure the horror of being bored after the entertainment system fails. As a result, personal and political tensions rise to the surface. Production of the film began in Budapest and is scheduled to last 70 days, wrapping up in May. The production team has even purchased a retired Boeing 747 specifically for the project.
The Entertainment System Is Down will be Ruben Ostlund’s second English-language film, following his massive success with Triangle of Sadness. The film was a major box-office hit and received three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Ostlund also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for Triangle of Sadness, marking his second win after his previous film The Square in 2017.
Meanwhile, Swindells, who gained widespread recognition for his role as a gay character in Sex Education, made headlines last year after marrying Peaky Blinders actress Amber Anderson in a Celtic ceremony in the Scottish Highlands. His Sex Education onscreen father, Alistair Petrie, officiated the wedding.
In the fourth season of Sex Education, which released in 2023, Swindells’ character, along with his co-stars Asa Butterfield (Otis Millburn) and Emma Mackey (Maeve), navigates the complex world of teen relationships and sexual therapy in an all-new school environment.