INTERNATIONAL CAST JOIN IMPACTFUL FEATURE FILM HUDSON & MARIA
MOVIE TO FILM IN MALAYSIA THIS SUMMER
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 20, 2026) – Half Crown Media in association with Burns & Co. Entertainment has announced the feature film HUDSON & MARIA will start filming in Malaysia next month. William Moseley (Chronicles of Narnia trilogy) will star as Hudson Taylor and Poppy Drayton (Charmed) will co-star as his devoted and courageous wife, Maria. Ludi Lin (Power Rangers, Mortal Kombat) will play Wang Laijun, Hudson’s loyal friend. The international ensemble also includes Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso), Tan Kheng Hua (Crazy Rich Asians), Rupert Graves (Sherlock), Darren Lim (The Little Nyonya), Jemma Donovan (JIMMY), Catriona Munro (NCIS: Sydney), Ben Van Lier (M3GAN 2.0), Wang Wei (Unexpected Falling), Matt William Knowles (Son of the South) , Kate Sullivan (The Season), Vanesssa Yao (Kung Fu), and Cedric Gegel (Capture). Matt Mikalatos is set to direct off a script he has penned.
“I’m so thankful for the incredible cast who have come together from across many cultures and nations to tell this story. Hudson and Maria would be pleased to see such a diverse group of talented people representing them on screen,” shared writer/ director Matt Mikalatos.
Set during the Opium Wars of 19th-century China, HUDSON & MARIA follows the true story of Hudson Taylor, an English missionary who rejects colonial norms and adopts Chinese language, customs, and dress as he seeks to share God’s love in inland China. The story follows him through his missionary work, traveling with his wife Maria and good friend, Wang Laijun. They endure hardship and persecution to tell a powerful story that has become legend. William Moseley commented, “I am so grateful to be playing Hudson Taylor in a biopic of his life to be directed by Matt Mikalatos. Hudson Taylor’s impact on Christianity in China is unparalleled. His determination, kindness. and faith, through extremely difficult circumstances, meant his legacy is still felt in China today. Poppy Drayton will play Hudson’s wife, Maria, who was a missionary in her right and stood as the backbone to their success. We will begin production, in Malaysia, in early August. I know this film will be something extremely special.”
Poppy Drayton continued, “I could not be more excited to play Maria in HUDSON & MARIA. It is an honour to be part of Matt’s masterful vision and bring to life a woman who contained such unwavering compassion, resilience and courage. I am eager to tell her story with the depth and justice it deserves.”
The film will be produced by Aaron Burns, Jack McClintock, and David Cook. James Hudson Taylor IV, Ken Haron and Angela Galgani Sullivan will serve as Executive Producers.
To learn more about HUDSON & MARIA please visit hudsonandmaria.com.
Related reports: ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ and ‘Mortal Kombat’ Stars Unite for Epic 19th-Century Historical Drama [Exclusive]
