Emily Mortimer Cast as Cressida Dick in Disney+ Met Police Drama

Paddington actor Emily Mortimer has been tapped to play the role of former senior Met police officer Dame Cressida Dick in an upcoming drama centered around the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes. The tragic incident, which took place on July 22, 2005, saw Mr. de Menezes killed by police firearms officers at a London Tube station. The officers mistakenly believed he was a terrorist linked to previous failed bombing attempts the day before.

Set to debut this spring on Disney+, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes will shed light on the events that transpired. Despite the legal repercussions faced by the Met in the aftermath of the shooting, Dame Cressida was ultimately absolved of personal blame during a trial in 2007.

Jean Charles de Menezes, a 27-year-old Brazilian electrician, tragically lost his life at Stockwell underground station, just a fortnight after the devastating terror attacks that shook London’s transport network on July 7, 2005, claiming 52 lives. Mistaken for failed suicide bomber Hussain Osman, who had attempted to bomb London the previous day, Mr. de Menezes’ untimely death spurred protests in both the UK and Brazil, leading to scrutiny of police tactics and an apology from then Prime Minister Tony Blair.

In the years following Mr. de Menezes’ passing, the Met agreed to compensate his family with a sum exceeding £100,000, acknowledging his innocence. Disney+ noted that Jean Charles de Menezes’ family members are actively involved as consultants for the series, which aims to offer a multifaceted exploration of the incident, presenting varying perspectives to depict how memory, whether accurate or distorted, can influence our perception of truth.

Apart from Mortimer, the cast includes Conleth Hill as Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair, Russell Tovey as deputy assistant commissioner Brian Paddick, and newcomer Edison Alcaide as Mr. de Menezes. Despite expressing deep personal regret over Mr. de Menezes’ death in a statement to the inquest back in 2008, Dame Cressida maintained that she did not believe anyone involved in the operation acted wrongfully or unreasonably.

Dame Cressida went on to make history as the first female commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in 2017, but stepped down from her role in February 2022, citing a lack of confidence in her leadership from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

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