Rory Kinnear joins upcoming Mozart drama

Rory Kinnear is joining Will Sharpe and Paul Bettany in the upcoming Sky drama about Mozart.

‘The Diplomat’ actor, 46, has been cast as Emperor Joseph in the epic series ‘Amadeus’, based on the story of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in which Will, 37, features as the iconic virtuoso, while Paul, 53, plays his fierce rival and suspected assassin, the Italian composer Antonio Salieri.

A summary of the show states: “Set within the musical hub of bustling Vienna at the end of the 18thcentury, 25 year old Amadeus arrives in the city no longer a child and determined to carve his own path.

“Recently unemployed and without the management of his father, Amadeus finds an unlikely ally in a young singer who will become his wife, fiery Constanze Weber Mozart.

“Her connections help bring him into the orbit of the Italian opera powerhouse and court composer Antonio Salieri, setting the three of them on a collision course that will ultimately define their lives and their legacies for years to come.”

Rory is famed for his stints in ‘Skyfall’ and a leading role in indie film ‘Men’, and will be joined in ‘Amadeus’ by castmates Lucy Cohu as Cecilia Weber, Jonathan Aris (Leopold Mozart), Ényì Okoronkwo (Da Ponte), Jessica Alexander (Katerina) and ‘Bridgerton’ star Hugh Sachs, who is playing Von Strack.

Paul Bazely, Rupert Vansittart from ‘Game of Thrones’, Anastasia Martin, ‘Masters of the Air’ actress Nancy Farino, Olivia-Mai Barrett, Viola Prettejohn, also from ‘The Crown’ and Jyuddah Jaymes, are also among the cast.

Gabrielle Creevy is playing Mozart’s wife Constanze Weber.

The series is a reimagining of playwright Peter Shaffer’s award-winning theatre production ‘Amadeus’.

It won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Play and Peter adapted it for the 1984 film of the same name, directed by Miloš Forman.