Joe Alwyn is seen on the set of Conversations with Friends for the FIRST TIME

Joe Alwyn has been pictured on the set of Conversations with Friends for the first time in Bray, Co. Wicklow in Ireland on Saturday.

The actor, 30, stars as Nick in the upcoming BBC drama which is based on Sally Rooney’s 2017 novel of the same name. 

Joe cut a casual figure between scenes as he was seen chatting with his co-star Alison Oliver who stars as Frances.   

Joe sported a purple T-shirt and blue slim-fitting jeans while he wrapped up in a black padded jacket. 

The series follows a mysterious married couple, Nick and Melissa (Jemima Kirke), and their attraction to two younger women, Frances and Bobbi.

Frances embarks on an affair with Nick, while trying to reconcile her feelings for best friend and ex-girlfriend Bobbi, played by Utiopia actress Sasha Lane, 25, whom she is in love with.

Alison is an emerging talent from drama school Lir Academy in Dublin, Ireland, whose fellow graduates include Normal People’s Mescal.

Joe, who is in a relationship with singer Taylor Swift, has had success in the likes of Oscar-winning film The Favourite and Mary Queen of Scots while Jemima is known for her role as Jessa in Lena Dunham’s Girls.

Sasha made her film debut in 2016 film American Honey, she also starred as Jessica Hyde in Utopia.

It comes after the success of Rooney’s 2018 novel Normal People which was adapted into a ratings smash hit TV series last year. 

It saw show leads Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, who took on Connell and Marianne’s love story, soar to fame after it aired during the first lockdown.

Like Rooney’s 2018 smash, Conversations with Friends is also set in Dublin, Ireland.

It was confirmed in June that BBC Three and Hulu were adapting Rooney’s novel Conversations with Friends.

The 12-part series of half hour episodes will be helmed by Irish Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson, who also directed Normal People, while Rooney will be on board as executive producer.

Piers Wenger, director of BBC Drama, said of the news: ‘Lenny’s deep affinity for Sally’s writing and talent for finding actors to bring her fictional creations to life played a huge part in bringing Normal People so successfully to screen.

‘In casting Alison, Sasha, Joe and Jemima, that same flair and instinct is in evidence and we cant wait to see how they will bring Frances, Bobbi, Nick and Melissa to life.’

While Lenny said of the casting announcement: ‘I feel so excited to be collaborating with four such superb actors to bring Sally’s brilliant novel to the screen.

‘Over the last few months it has been a privilege to work alongside Element Pictures and our extraordinary team of writers to get the scripts to a point where we all feel so excited to start shooting.

‘I’ll be joined by a world class crew (many of whom worked on Normal People) and supporting cast and I’m particularly happy to have Leanne Welham come on board.

‘I’ve been an admirer of her work for a long time and I have no doubt she will bring great skill and subtlety to the episodes she directs.’

Ed Guiney, executive producer and company director of Element Pictures, added: ‘Alison, Sasha, Joe and Jemima are the dream cast to lead Conversations With Friends.

‘All of us at Element are so excited about the incredible scripts from our amazing team of writers which we have been developing with the oversight of the brilliant Lenny Abrahamson.

‘We can’t wait to start filming with Lenny, Leanne and our wonderful cast and crew to bring Sally’s extraordinary novel to the screen.’

Normal People writer Alice Birch, who is also a story editor on HBO drama Succession, will be lead writer for the adaptation.