Peacock and Sky have released the official trailer for the limited drama series The Tattooist of Auschwitz, starring Harvey Keitel, Melanie Lynskey, and Jonah Hauer-King. The six-episode series will be available on Peacock in the US and Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland on May 2, 2024.
Based on the bestselling novel by Heather Morris, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is an event series inspired by the real-life story of Jewish Holocaust survivors Lali and Gita Sokolov. Lali (Jonah Hauer-King) arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1942, and shortly after arrival, he was made one of the tätowierer (tattooists), charged to ink identification numbers onto fellow prisoners’ arms.
One day, he meets Gita (Anna Próchniak) when tattooing her prisoner number on her arm. They experience love at first sight, and so begins a courageous, unforgettable, and human story.
Under constant guard from a volatile Nazi SS officer, Baretzki (Jonas Nay), Lali and Gita became determined to keep each other alive. Around 60 years later, Lali (Harvey Keitel) meets novice writer Heather Morris (Melanie Lynskey).
Recently widowed, Lali finds the courage to tell the world his story. In recounting his story to Heather, Lali, in his 80s, faces the traumatic ghosts of his youth and relives his memories of falling in love in the most horrific of places.
“We began developing this story five years ago, and I was struck by how the book became a bestseller during a time when awareness of the Holocaust was in decline. Our series tells one man’s story and experience of Auschwitz and how he found love in the darkest of places. It is a story that is as important today as it ever was,” said The Tattooist of Auschwitz executive producer Claire Mundell.
Director and co-executive producer Tali Shalom-Ezer added, “Claire and I talked about what a huge challenge it was going to be to make viewers believe in a love story that existed in this dark place and time.
“This was the task that I, as director, Claire, Jacquelin, and our team took upon ourselves, and I pray that we will be able to make viewers around the world believe in the wonderful love story of Lali and Gita.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz features music by Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve. It was produced by Synchronicity Films and is a coproduction for Sky and Peacock.
The executive producers include Claire Mundell, Adrian Burns, Mark Young, and Serena Thompson. Jacquelin Perske is an executive producer and writer, and Evan Placey is an associate producer and writer.
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.