Irreverent, a new ten-part crime drama television series which airs on Netflix in Australia and Peacock in the US, sought early guidance from MS Australia regarding a character who lives with multiple sclerosis (MS).
MS Australia was approached by and consulted with the production company Matchbox Pictures about MS and how the character might be represented.
CEO Rohan Greenland says raising the profile of MS is important to improve the understanding of the disease in the community.
“Education and awareness about MS are important for dispelling any misconceptions and to ensure better knowledge on how the disease can impact a person – which can often be invisible symptoms.
“Knowing the potential reach of this series and given no two people experience MS in the same way, we were keen to have an input. The more we can educate and inform the Australian and global community about MS, the better. Our mission is to empower researchers to identify ways to treat, prevent and cure MS,” adds Mr Greenland.
“MS Australia happily assisted in the early stages of this production, and we appreciate that the Irreverent creative team reached out to us to ensure the character with MS was portrayed as accurately and sensitively as possible. Matchbox Pictures is known for making film and television that represents Australia’s diverse society and for voicing different stories. We are enjoying watching the series.”
Irreverent follows a criminal from Chicago, USA, who bungles a heist and is forced to hide out in a small Australian reef town in Far North Queensland, posing as the new church Reverend.
Shot on location in Mission Beach, Queensland, Irreverent launched on streaming channel Peacock in the USA on 30 November and on Netflix Australia on 4 December 2022.
Watch the Irreverent trailer.
