Life as a Guinness is anything but simple. Just ask Ivana Lowell, a direct descendant of the iconic brewing family and one of the brilliant minds behind the upcoming Netflix drama, ‘House of Guinness.’
Dubbed ‘Succession’ infused with beer and raw intensity by The Times of London, this compelling series features stars like James Norton and Louis Partridge. The story kicks off with the passing of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the 19th-century patriarch and then Ireland’s wealthiest individual, chronicling his four children’s fierce battle for supremacy over the stout empire he meticulously built.
The concept for the series sparked in Ms. Lowell’s mind over ten years ago during a Christmas holiday. She was staying with her cousin, Desmond Guinness—the esteemed Anglo-Irish aesthete, son of a baron, and a figure linked to the infamous Mitford sisters—at his ancient 12th-century castle in County Kildare.
Speaking from London, Ms. Lowell, 59, recalled, ‘I was at Leixlip with Desmond and a host of other Guinness relatives. We were casually watching “Downton Abbey” when it hit me: our family’s story is far more intriguing and unconventional.’
Upon returning to her home in Sag Harbor, New York, Ms. Lowell began drafting a treatment. It charted the origins of the beer, from its creation by the legendary Arthur Guinness—’He’s the face on every bottle!’ she quipped—to the monumental success of Sir Benjamin, who had transformed it into Europe’s largest brewery.
It took another six years for Ms. Lowell to join forces with Steven Knight, the acclaimed creator of ‘Peaky Blinders.’ Knight’s vision for the narrative finally propelled ‘House of Guinness’ out of development hell and into full production.
Ms. Lowell explained, ‘Steve’s brilliant idea was to kick off the show with the reading of Benjamin’s will. Benjamin bequeaths the brewery and his entire fortune to his two sons, setting the stage for an intense struggle for control.’
The series unfolds against the gritty, industrial landscape of 19th-century Dublin (though filmed in Northern England), a city then embroiled in a revolutionary fight against British dominion. ‘House of Guinness’ presents a stark contrast to the refined period dramas that might have inspired its inception.
‘This isn’t “Downton Abbey”—it’s raw and authentic,’ Ms. Lowell stated, admitting, ‘I’m a bit anxious about my family’s reaction.’
Her worries may be unfounded. Among this sprawling clan, known for their frequent appearances in tabloids, a keen awareness of their own impact is a shared trait. She elaborated, ‘My family members are incredibly dramatic, eccentric, and possess a fantastic sense of humor. These are the tales I grew up hearing. But it’s a drama, not a historical documentary, so Steven had the creative freedom to explore.’
One particular fictional detail came directly from Ms. Lowell herself: ‘I specifically requested a sexy foreman who frequently removes his shirt,’ she confessed, referring to the character brought to life by Mr. Norton.
‘House of Guinness’ isn’t Ms. Lowell’s first time delving into her family’s past. In her 2010 memoir, Why Not Say What Happened?, she candidly shared the harrowing account of her childhood in a dilapidated English manor, raised by parents and guardians who could, at best, be described as severely neglectful.
She recounts being sexually abused by her nanny’s husband at age 6. A severe accident with a kettle left her with third-degree burns and permanent scars. The man she thought was her father, Caroline Blackwood’s second husband, pianist Israel Citkowitz, turned out not to be. Her biological father was revealed to be screenwriter Ivan Moffatt, one of her mother’s lovers. Tragically, her sister Natayla died of a heroin overdose at just 18.
‘I often wonder how I made it through,’ Ms. Lowell reflected. ‘I believe it’s because I had no frame of reference; I didn’t know any different. Being burned, assaulted, and abused—that was simply my reality. When you know nothing else, you perceive it as normal. The distinctive Guinness family humor certainly offered some solace.’
A dark, sardonic humor is undeniably a family hallmark. Ms. Lowell shared a particular phrase often uttered by Guinnesses when misfortunes struck: ‘This is bad, even for us.’
In developing the series, Ms. Lowell drew extensively from the stories shared by her grandmother, Maureen Guinness, and her mother, the brilliant yet challenging, alcoholic writer Lady Caroline Blackwood, who had been married to figures such as painter Lucian Freud and American poet Robert Lowell.
‘My grandmother Maureen and her sisters, Aileen and Oonagh—collectively known as the “Glorious Guinness Girls”—could easily inspire an entire series with their wild exploits,’ Ms. Lowell remarked. ‘That generation was truly indulged, pampered, and seemingly free to do as they pleased.’