Aussie stars Phoebe Tonkin and Brenton Thwaites kick off new romantic drama in Brisbane

Fresh off her AACTA win for Boy Swallows Universe and his role in the nominated film How to Make Gravy, Phoebe Tonkin and Brenton Thwaites have reunited in Brisbane to lead a new romantic drama being filmed in Brisbane.

Phoebe Tonkin is starring in the new series. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for AFI)

Filming has officially kicked off in Brisbane on Two Years Later, a new romantic drama from Paramount+ Australia starring internationally recognised Aussie powerhouses Phoebe Tonkin and Brenton Thwaites.

The eight-part series marks Tonkin’s return to Brisbane, where she last filmed the Netflix global hit Boy Swallows Universe.

Her performance in the series earned her the 2025 AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress and drew international critical acclaim.

Two Years Later, starring Brenton Thwaites and Phoebe Tonkin. Picture: Paramount+ Australia

“It’s wonderful to be back in Australia filming Two Years Later with Brenton,” Tonkin said.

“I love being able to tell stories that feel innately Australian in their essence, but also explore the universal themes of love, trauma, and the complexities of navigating life in your 30s.”

Phoebe Tonkin at the 2025 AACTA Awards at HOTA on the Gold Coast. Photo: Supplied.

For Cairns-born Thwaites, the project brings him back to the city where his career began. Over a decade ago, he made his television debut in the Brisbane-shot teen drama SLiDE.

He has since gone on to star in major productions including Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, The Giver, the DC series Titans, and most recently, the AACTA-nominated 2024 film How to Make Gravy.

“It’s great to be back working in Brissy and with the Hoodlum producers again,” Thwaites said.

“We’ve all come a long way from the SLiDE days, but feels all the same shooting in and around the city … it’s gonna to be a blast,” he said.

Supplied image from Paramount+ Australia Original Series, Two Years Later. ,, Starring Brenton Thwaites And Phoebe Tonkin. Coming To Paramount+ In 2026

The series follows characters Emily and Ryan, whose bus-stop flirtation is cut short by COVID-19.

Two years later, they unexpectedly reconnect and agree to go on eight dates to decide if they are meant to be together.

Veteran actors Roy Billing and Heather Mitchell join the cast, with the series written by screenwriter Pete Bridges and directed by Emma Freeman.

Roy Billing as Art Weinberg in The End on Foxtel. Picture: Foxtel.

Love Me actor Heather Mitchell. Supplied

Paramount Australia’s SVP of Content and Programming Daniel Monaghan praised the series as “intimate, honest, and refreshingly grounded.”

Produced by Brisbane’s Emmy and BAFTA-winning production company Hoodlum, and supported by Screen Australia and Screen Queensland, Two Years Later is set to premiere on Paramount+ in 2026.

“It’s a joy and privilege to collaborate with such incredible creative talents to bring this truly special Australian story to audiences worldwide,” Hoodlum’s Chief Content Officer Tracey Viera said.