Kiwi comic to play a pirate in Taika Waititi's new comedy series

Rhys Darby is to star in a new period comedy series from JoJo Rabbit director Taika Waititi. 

In Our Flag Means Death, he will play the central character of  Stede Bonnet, a well-to-do gentleman farmer in the early 18th Century  who has a  midlife crisis and  becomes a pirate captain.

The series, being made for America’s HBO Max streaming platform, is loosely  based on a true story. 

Darby, who plays Nigel Billingsley in the Jumanji franchise, first worked with fellow New Zealander Waititi on Flight Of The Conchords, on which the latter was a writer and director. 

And the comic also stars in Waititi’s upcoming film Next Goal Wins, which tells the story of the American Samoan World Cup football team.

What We Do in the Shadows co-creator Waititi, will executive produce and direct the pilot of Our Flag Means Death, which was created by  writer David Jenkins, Deadline reports.

Published: 6 Jan 2021