Keira Knightley to Star in ‘The Other Typist’ Hulu Series From Ilene Chaiken

Keira Knightley could be making a big step into television for the first time in a while.

The British actress has signed on to star in a series adaptation of Suzanne Rindell’s novel “The Other Typist,” which is now in development at Hulu. “The L Word” creator Ilene Chaiken is set to pen the pilot, as well as serving as showrunner and producer.

Searchlight Television and 20th Century Fox Television, where Chaiken is under a multi-year overall deal, are producing the series for Hulu. According to sources, Knightley was the one who first brought the project to Searchlight’s attention and was previously developing it as a feature.

Knightley will play the role of Odalie, a prim, unworldly police department typist who gets drawn into the shady world of her glamorous new co-worker. However, when the ultimate crime is committed, it’s uncertain which of the two women was the more treacherous. Set in New York City at the height of the Prohibition era, “The Other Typist” is described as a “psycho-sexual suspense thriller” that turns on themes of identity, class, obsession and misplaced desire.

The project marks an expansion of Chaiken’s relationship with Hulu, as she already serves as an executive producer on arguably the streamer’s biggest show in “The Handmaid’s Tale.” She is also currently an EP on “The L Word: Generation Q” reboot.

Original author Rindell will serve as a producer on the project alongside Chaiken, Knightley, and Oly Obst for 3 Arts Entertainment.

Knightley most recently starred in the 20th Century Fox pic “Misbehaviour,” which fictionalized the events of the 1970 Miss World competition. Her other recent credits include playing the famous French author in “Colette,” and Joan Clarke in “The Imitation Game” opposite Benedict Cumberbatch. This would mark her first series since 2011’s “Neverland” and before that the “Doctor Zhivago” ITV adaptation from 2002.

She is repped United Agents, CAA, Narrative and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.