There is something uniquely magical about the Australian bush.
From the smell of the eucalyptus trees to the squark of rosellas that dart across the pockets of the sky above. It is both an enchanting and mysterious place, one Australians feel perfectly at home in and yet remain in awe of. It is this essence that the team behind Liarne Moriarty’s The Last Anniversary worked tirelessly to bring to the screen.
From the award-winning producers of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, this is the first time one of Moriarty’s novels has been set and filmed in Australia.
A feat Foxtel Group’s head of scripted originals, Lana Greenhalgh, is bursting with pride over. “All her other novels were adapted for screen overseas,” Greenhalgh told Mediaweek. “But this time, we’ve kept it here. It’s the first time an Australian novel written by Moriarty has been produced, shot, and set in Australia – and I’m particularly proud of that.”
The Last Anniversary star Teresa Palmer
The Delicate Art of Adaptation
The adaptation process, led by Samantha Strauss and her team of writers, Sarah Walker, Giulia Sandler and Greg Waters was a labour of love.
“It takes years to adapt and break down a novel, pulling out the threads, story elements, and characters to bring these stories to the screen,” explains Greenhalgh.
For the team, maintaining the emotional core of Moriarty’s work was paramount. “Sam fell in love with Leanne’s characters. She was completely caught up in these beautiful, beautiful characters and thought, ‘I’m going to start there and bring them to life.'”
The result, says Greenhalgh is a character-driven narrative and storytelling experience that balances mystery with emotional depth.
While the source material offered five generations, the screen adaptation streamlines it to four, ensuring the propulsive mystery remains at the forefront. “We’ve minimised it to four just to make it a little bit more streamlined and make sure that propulsive mysteries are at the core at all times, but very proudly as well.”
A global team of titans
With Papandrea’s Made Up Stories and Kidman’s Blossom Films producing and John Polson directing, the production brought together global heavyweights with deep local roots. The New South Wales Government even supported the series through the Made in NSW fund.
“At the Foxtel Group, we pride ourselves on producing world-class, award-winning television,” said Greenhalgh. “So it was exciting to partner with Made Up Stories and Blossom. They also have impeccable taste, when you speak to them, they bring a level of sophistication that I admire.”
While the team’s international credentials are undeniable, Greenhalgh praised the way they leaned into the show’s uniquely Australian DNA. “They raise the bar. They’re bringing an international lens to a very Australian show,” she said.
Greenhalgh added that despite being across all corners of the globe and operating in different time zones, the collaborative spirit behind the production was admirable, with all parties deeply involved in every stage of the process.
“I’ve been working with this team for the last couple of years, and everyone was on the call for every single meeting, every single beat, where we all needed to lean in, offer an opinion, or offer our feedback,” she said.
The Last Anniversary cast including Teresa Palmer, Miranda Richardson and Danielle Macdonald
A hunger for homegrown drama
Australians love seeing themselves reflected on screen, and Foxtel has the numbers to prove it. “Last year we found nine out of the top 20 shows on Foxtel platforms were local original productions,” Greenhalgh said.
Meanwhile, three out of the top 10 shows were local scripted Original series, while two out of the top three shows were local scripted Original series.
“Australians want to see themselves, and The Last Anniversary ticks a lot of those boxes. It has that distinctly Australian setting, a phenomenal creative team, a character-first approach, and a multi-generational family at its core,” she added.
For audiences on both Foxtel and BINGE, the show’s appeal is clear. “This kind of storytelling, elevated, relationship-driven, female-led drama, performs exceptionally well,” she said. “It connects across generations and across platforms. It’s premium, it’s heartfelt, and it’s anchored by mystery. Our viewers absolutely devour it.”
And while streaming audiences often lean toward full-season binges, The Last Anniversary is being rolled out weekly, by design. “We like to think about how people digest content,” Greenhalgh said. “This is a show where you watch an episode, sit with it, and then talk about it. It’s full of ‘I didn’t see that coming’ moments, perfect for water cooler conversations.”