Rachel Griffiths’ award nominated Kiwi show Madam releases first trailer

Three have released a trailer for their upcoming series, Madam. The show, inspired by a real-life story about an ethical brothel in small-town New Zealand, stars Golden Globe winner Rachel Griffiths and Virgin River actor Martin Henderson.

Have you ever wondered what an ethical Kiwi brothel looks like? Wonder no more, Three’s new show is about to answer all your questions - kind of.

Titled Madam, the 10-episode series is set to launch on ThreeNow on July 4, and if the trailer is anything to go by, the mostly fictional series is going to be full of drama, comedy and sexual empowerment.

Inspired by Antonia Muphy’s upcoming novel of the same name, the series is helmed by Golden Globe-winner Rachel Griffiths and follows her character, McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh, as she starts an ethical brothel called Sweethearts, in a small New Zealand town.

Rachel Griffiths stars as McKenzie ‘Mack’ Leigh in the award nominated series. Photo / Warner Bros. Discovery

The series, which has already been nominated for an award at the Monte Carlo TV awards, also stars Kiwi acting icons: Virgin River star Martin Henderson, Wentworth icons Danielle Cormack and Robbie Magasiva, and Hunt for the Wilderpeople actress Rima Te Wiata.

In a short teaser trailer released today, Kiwis got their first glimpse at what to expect from the show, which was inspired by Murphy, who founded an escort agency in the country.

The businesswoman-turned-author was impressed by New Zealand’s decriminalisation of sex work and created a space for female sex workers where their legal rights, emotional wellbeing and financial independence were prioritised.

Madam follows Rachel Griffiths as she starts her own ethical Kiwi brothel. Photo / Warner Bros. Discovery

Griffiths’ character echoes those values in the trailer, telling her workers, “at my brothel, you control who you see, what you do and when you do it,” and says she is “taking sex work out of the shadows.”

New Zealand was the first country in the world to decriminalise sex work in June 2003, through the passing of the Prostitution Reform Act (PRA). In the years since the law reformation, there has been a reduced risk of exploitation, health risks and violence toward sex workers.

Madam premieres on ThreeNow on July 4.