The historical drama tells the story of Miep Gies (Bel Powley, The Morning Show), the woman who heroically hid Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis for two years during World War II.
The series also stars Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Amira Casar (Versailles), Billie Boullet (The Worst Witch (2017)), Ashley Brooke (The White House Plumbers), Daniel Donskoy (Barbarians) , Noah Leggott (Crossfire), Andy Nyman (The Capture), Noah Taylor (Preacher), Ian McElhinney (Game of Thrones), Nicholas Burns (The Serpent Queen), Liza Sadovy (Vera), Laurie Kynaston (The Man Who Fell to Earth), Caroline Catz (Doc Martin) and Sebastian Armesto (Broadchurch).
National Geographic Channel revealed more about the upcoming series in a press release:
"The new series A SMALL LIGHT focuses on the inspiring true story of Miep Gies, who played a crucial role in hiding Anne Frank and her family during the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam. To honor Miep on what will be her 114th birthday. would have been, National Geographic announced that the powerful series, produced by ABC Signature and Keshet Studios, will premiere on National Geographic with two back-to-back episodes on Monday, May 1. New episodes will air on National Geographic every Monday at and will stream on Disney+ the next day.
Told with a modern sensibility, A SMALL LIGHT tells the remarkable true story of secretary Miep Gies (Bel Powley), who was a young, carefree and headstrong woman - at a time when opinions were killing you - when her boss, Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber), asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during World War II.
Miep agreed without hesitation.
For the next two years, she and her brave and devoted husband Jan (Joe Cole), along with a few other everyday heroes, watched over the Frank, van Pels and Pfeffer families hiding in the Secret Annex.
A life once filled with partying and pints, the series details how Miep's life changed the moment she said 'yes'. From daily food runs to scraping together ration coupons and selling cherished heirlooms, it took countless selfless sacrifices. In the end, it was Miep who found Anne Frank's diary and kept it so that she and Otto could later share it with the world and serve as a will for future generations.
Filmed on location in Amsterdam and Prague, A SMALL LIGHT also reveals that the brave couple not only hid the eight souls in the Secret Annex from the Nazis, but also hid many others in and around Amsterdam with the help of the Dutch resistance. Powley's fierce performance removes the cobwebs from history and makes Miep's story relevant and topical. The audience is forced to wonder what they would have done in Miep's shoes; and in modern times, whether they would have the courage to stand up against hatred. The title of the series comes from something Miep said late in life: "I don't like being called a hero, because no one should ever think that you have to be special to help others. Even an ordinary secretary or a a housewife or a teenager can turn on a small light in a dark room."
Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, creators and executive producers, say: "People may know the story of Anne Frank and her family, but what happened beyond the walls of the annex was just as powerful, inspiring and resonant. When we heard about the inherent strength of Miep and Jan, who risked their lives for others during the occupation, we were blown away. A SMALL LIGHT is a true story that should never be forgotten. We hope it has a lasting impact on viewers and helps to to demonstrate the importance of discovering untold stories about the Holocaust and the lessons it continues to teach."
The cast also includes Amira Casar, who plays Edith Frank, Margot and Anne's mother; Billie Boullet, portraying Anne Frank; Ashley Brooke, who plays Anne's older sister Margot Frank; Andy Nyman as Hermann van Pels, Caroline Catz as Auguste van Pels, Rudi Goodman as Peter van Pels, and Noah Taylor as Dr. Fritz Pfeffer, hiding in the Secret Annex with the Frank family; Eleanor Tomlinson as Tess, Miep's best friend; Sally Messham as Bep Voskuijl, Ian McElhinney as Johannes Kleiman, and Nicholas Burns as Victor Kugler, Miep's co-workers; and Liza Sadovy as Mrs. Stoppelman, Laurie Kynaston as Casmir and Sebastian Armesto as Max Stoppelman.
A SMALL LIGHT is produced by ABC Signature and Keshet Studios for National Geographic. Executive producers and writers Joan Rater and Tony Phelan (Grey's Anatomy, Fire Country) serve as showrunners, and DGA Award winner and Emmy-nominated executive producer Susanna Fogel (The Flight Attendant) directs multiple episodes, including the pilot. Executive producers are Peter Traugott and Lisa Roos for Keshet Studios, Alon Shtruzman for Keshet International and Avi Nir for Keshet Media Group."