Wellmania executive producer and star Celeste Barber confirms the show's cancellation, taking a swipe at Netflix in a candid social media video.
Summary
- Wellmania, the Australian dramedy, has been cancelled by Netflix despite a positive reception from viewers.
- Celeste Barber, the executive producer and star, expresses disappointment and frustration with the decision, attributing it to "numbers."
- While acknowledging the current global situation, Barber urges viewers to continue showing support and suggests watching other shows or movies outside of Netflix.
Wellmania executive producer and star Celeste Barber confirms the show's cancellation, taking a swipe at Netflix in a candid social media video. The Australian dramedy, which was co-created by Brigid Delaney and Benjamin Law and based on Delaney's book of the same name, debuted earlier this year. It consisted of eight episodes, focusing on Barber's character as she attempted to reclaim her well-being.
In an Instagram video, Barber confirmed the cancellation of the dramedy. Check out her video below:
The executive producer and star begins her message by revealing that Wellmania season 2 will not be happening. Barber says that Netflix shared that the cancellation is about "numbers," adding that she believed the show did well. In the quote below, Barber thanks the viewers and takes a shot at Netflix:
“I just wanted to check in and give you a little update to let you know that Wellmania will not be renewed for another season. I understand that in the grand scheme of things, with what is going on in the world at the moment, who f–king cares? But a lot of you do care. A lot of you are still asking me about it. We found out yesterday that it’s not going to be renewed. Netflix says it’s something about numbers. Sure. I thought it smashed it, but I don’t understand how it works.”
“Thank you for the love and support around the show. It was so fun, we had such an excellent time and the way it was received was so overwhelming. I’m bummed that I can no longer explore that excellent character of Liv Healy, and I know a lot of you saw yourselves in that character and wanted to see more, but this industry is kinda b–shit.”
“Go and kiss your babies and watch Friends. Maybe not on Netflix, though. Maybe pull out an old DVD.”
Why You Should Still Watch Wellmania
Wellmania followed New York Times food writer Liv Healy (Barber). Going through her days with an unhealthy lifestyle, Liv gets an opportunity to reevaluate her choices in her hometown of Sydney, Australia. However, she struggles with her previous habits, trying various methods of healthy living with the hopes of advancing her career. Those efforts lead to varying levels of success, though Liv's career advancement is also on the line.
Along with Barber's engaging lead performance, which drew a lot of praise in reviews, the cast of Wellmania included JJ Fong in the role of Liv’s best friend Amy, Johnny Carr as Amy’s husband Doug, Lachlan Buchanan as Gaz, Liv's brother and fitness trainer. Remy Hii, meanwhile, portrayed Gaz’s fiancé Dalbert. Other cast members included Genevieve Mooy as Lorraine, Liv's mother, and Alexander Hodge playing Liv’s love interest Isaac. Simone Kessell, who recently played the adult Lottie on Yellowjackets, was Liv's New York Times editor.
Netflix’s TV-Based Workout Creates The Weirdest Show Controversy
A workout class inspired by the new Netflix series Wellmania was meant to promote the show to F45 gym members, but the promotion backfired.Even though the lack of season 2 may put a damper on starting Wellmania, the existing eight episodes are great on their own. The story moves seamlessly between comedy and drama, thanks to a game ensemble and strong writing. It makes it an easy choice to want to focus on Liv's health journey even if the show has now unfortunately ended prematurely.
Source: Celeste Barber/Instagram
