‘Narcos’ Star Matias Varela Joins High-Finance Thriller ‘Blinded’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Matias Varela and Julia Ragnarsson will star in “Blinded,” the much-anticipated Swedish thriller following a journalist on the trail of corruption in the world of high finance. Ragnarsson and Varela will take the lead roles, with the former playing the journalist Bea Farkas, who detects irregularities at a high-profile bank. Varela is Peder Rooth, the bank’s CEO.

The series is based on the books by economics journalist Carolina Neurath. Production starts later this month. FLX, which made Netflix’s first Swedish original, “Quicksand,” is producing for C More and TV4. is also on board and handling international distribution of the series, its first move into Scandi drama. Film Capital Stockholm is a co-production partner.

Varela had a breakout role in TV4 series “New Times” before embarking on a career in film and TV that includes “Point Break” and, more recently, Netflix series “Narcos,” in which he played Jorge Salcedo.

His role in “Blinded,” known locally as “Fartblinder,” is a return to Swedish TV. “It’s going to be incredibly fun to do ‘Fartblinder/Blinded,’” he said. “Getting to work with Julia for the first time is such a wonderful opportunity. In a way, it feels like coming home – I started my career as a guy on TV4 and have been away from Sweden in recent years.”

Ragnarsson has starred in major Scandi films and series including “Stockholm Stories” and “The Bridge.” She admitted to being “nervous to take on such a big task” and noted that “Blinded” is seeking to break new ground. “We have not seen any thriller that takes place in this environment in Sweden before,” she said.

“Blinded” was written for TV by Jesper Harrie (“Solsidan”), with Maria Karlsson (“Easy Money”) and Jonas Bonnier (“The Helicopter Heist”). Jens Jonsson (“Easy Money”) and Johan Lundin will direct.