Hostage: Suranne Jones Leads Netflix’s New Political Thriller
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Netflix has unveiled Hostage, a limited series that begins with a high-stakes state visit to the United Kingdom and spirals into crisis when two leaders are targeted at once. Suranne Jones stars as Prime Minister Abigail Dalton, a leader forced to manage a national emergency that's also quite personal. The story unfolds in and around London’s corridors of power as a diplomatic showcase turns into a life-or-death investigation.
What Is Hostage About?
The drama begins during an official visit by the French president to the United Kingdom. British Prime Minister Abigail Dalton learns that her husband has been abducted, while her guest is targeted by a parallel blackmail plot. With the summit teetering and the world watching, Dalton must decide how much to reveal, whom to trust and whether cooperation with the Élysée can survive competing agendas. The series narrows its focus to the pressure points inside Downing Street and the Élysée Palace equivalents in London, tracing briefings, back-channel calls and a tightly managed press operation as the crisis evolves. It also brings the home front into the frame, showing how a public duty collides with private fear when a spouse is in danger.
Across five episodes, the season tracks the investigation in real time and near-real time. What begins as a kidnap quickly suggests a broader operation that exploits vulnerabilities in two governments. The kidnappers’ demands escalate, pitting political survival against personal responsibility. Dalton’s team weighs options that range from resignation to risky covert action, while the visiting French president confronts pressures at home that make compromise difficult. The central question is not simply whether the two leaders can cooperate, but whether they can do so before events move beyond their control.
Who's involved?
Suranne Jones plays Prime Minister Abigail Dalton (Vigil, Gentleman Jack, Doctor Foster), anchoring the series with a performance that keeps the stakes intimate even when the decisions are geopolitical. Julie Delpy portrays French President Vivienne Toussaint (Before trilogy, Three Colors), a head of state balancing public authority with private calculation.
Ashley Thomas appears as Dr. Alex Anderson (Them, 24: Legacy), Dalton’s husband whose disappearance triggers the crisis. Lucian Msamati is Kofi Adomako (Gangs of London, Luther), a senior operator whose counsel becomes critical as options narrow. Corey Mylchreest plays Matheo Lewis (Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story), a figure connected to the French delegation, while James Cosmo is Max Dalton (Game of Thrones, Jack Ryan), the prime minister’s father. Jehnny Beth appears as Adrienne Pelletier (Anatomy of a Fall), with additional roles including Isobel Akuwudike as Sylvie Anderson and Sophie Robertson as Saskia Morgan.
When Does Hostage Premiere?
Hostage lands on Netflix on August 21, 2025. The limited series is scheduled to release in full for a complete-season binge on launch day.
Behind the Scenes
Hostage is created and written by Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies, Treason), with Suranne Jones also serving as an executive producer. Direction is by Isabelle Sieb and Amy Neil. Production took place across the UK, with additional filming on La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands.
