DNA (Danish TV series) explained

DNA, or Kidnapping, is a Danish television police procedural drama, which was broadcast from 9 September 2019. It was created by, who is the principal scriptwriter with five episodes of season one co-written by Nanna Westh. It was directed by Kasper Gaardsøe and Henrik Ruben Genz (both 2019) and Fabian Wullenweber (2022–2023). The main protagonist, Rolf (Anders W. Berthelsen) is a police officer, he is joined by French-based investigator, Claire (Charlotte Rampling).^{[1] [2]} Season one has Rolf's daughter disappearing during a ferry trip. Five years later, Rolf learns of flaws in the police's DNA database and, while investigating another kidnapping, determines to find his missing daughter. He works with policewoman Neel (Olivia Joof Lewerissa).^[3] Meanwhile, unmarried Polish teenager Julita (Zofia Wichlacz) has her daughter, Hania at a convent. Julita's told Hania died, however, Julita trails baby traffickers and recovers an infant girl, who she raises as her own in France. Season two was broadcast from 18 December 2022 with Berthelsen, Wichlacz, Rampling and Lewerissa reprising their roles.^[4]

Plot

Season one. Rolf hunts a child, Minna, who's been kidnapped. As his wife, Maria is away in London, Rolf brings his daughter Andrea onto a ferry to travel to a witness in Poland. While on-board, Andrea, is herself kidnapped but fellow police determine she was washed overboard. Earlier, in Poland, young mother Julita had given birth to a daughter, who is stolen by nuns, who claim she died in childbirth. Her child is sold to baby traffickers, Melanie and Oliver, working for adoption agaency Bliss. Julita trails them to Denmark. She sees Rolf collecting Andrea's pram from colleague Jarl and his wife Ewa. On the ferry, Julita grabs Andrea believing she's her daughter, Hania.

Five years later, Neel catches serial rapist-murderer "Tranum Man", however his DNA is not on the police database. Rolf alerts Jarl to the problem. Jarl resolves an undiscovered systemic error. Rolf re-tests samples from Minna's case, which provides DNA link to a recent corpse, Victoria, found in France. Claire joins Rolf, Neel, Jarl and IT specialist, Staahl in re-opening Minna's case. Eventually police discover Bliss has a connecton with a youth care centre run by Bror, who also arranges his foster daughters to become surrogate mothers. Melanie's sister Victoria had argued with Oliver about handing over a baby. Oliver claims Victoria was accidentally killed. Melanie recalls that Julita's daughter had died of SIDS, so Oliver kidnapped Minna. Rolf, Claire and team find Minna, who was put up for adoption and reunite her with her mother. Meanwhile, Rolf trails Julita to France, where she's raised Hania. He meets tehm, posing as a fellow school parent. Rolf resolves not to separate Julita and Hania.

Cast and characters

• Anders W. Berthelsen as Rolf Larsen: Vestegnen police officer, later posted to North Jutland county. Andrea's father, Maria's husband, later divorced.
• Zofia Wichlacz as Julita Sienko Dorota: Stalowa Wola woman, lives with her grandmother, Tadek's fiancée. Her daughter's kidnapped by nuns, given to Bliss agents, Oliver and Melanie. Raises Hania as her daughter.
• Charlotte Rampling as Claire Bobain: French Judicial Police investigator, works with Rolf on child trafficking network
• as Neel Skipsted: Hjørring police assistant; reassigned to work with Rolf
• Johanne Louise Schmidt as Maria Larsen: Rolf's wife, Andrea's mother, later divorced. Flight attendant
• as Staahl: DNA profiler, worked for Jarl.
• Lars Berge as Torstein Bakkemoe: Maria's second husband

Season one only

• Nicolas Bro as Jarl Skaubo: police DNA profiler, Rebekka and Markus' father. Later heads Forensic Medical Centre.
• Trine Pallesen as Astrid Oxlev: Vestegnen chief superintendent, Rolf's boss
• Louise Mieritz as Eva Skaubo (Nowak) "Aunt Nova": Jarl's wife, Rebekka and Markus' mother. Familay Affairs agent, Bliss leader
• Dariusz Toczek as Karol Kozlowski: Twaróg municipal policeman, helps Rolf and Claire with baby trafficking case
• as "Babka" (English: "Grandmother"): Julita's grandma
• as Gunvor: Minna's mother, Zaid's ex-wife
• Peter Gilsfort as Bror Randrup: youth care centre manager, Vibeke's husband
• Wojciech Blach as Wladek: Polish policeman, Karol's subordinate
• Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieślak as Prior Apolonia: Mandorla clinic's leader; organises care for pregnant unmarried women
• as Jannik Vidt: ambitious Vestegnen police officer, Rolf's rival, falsified evidence
• as Renata: Tadek's mother
• as "Tranum mand" (English: "Tranum Man"): serial rapist, murderer. Caught by Neel
• Clara Ellegaard as Melanie: Victoria's older sister, lived at Bror's youth care centre, worked with Oliver, surrogate mother for Bliss
• Frederik Christian Johansen as Oliver Lassen: child kidnapper, worked for Bliss (adoption agency), lived at Bror's youth centre
• Piotr Polk as Piotr Kalinowski: Warsaw resident, adopted Minna as Alicja
• Hanna Konarowska as Paulina Kalinowski: Piotr's wife, adopted Minna
• Quentin Faure as Grégoire Moreau: Parisienne man, Fabien's partner, adopted Victoria's baby
• Samuel Brafman-Moutier as Fabien Moreau: Grégoire's partner, adopted Victoria's baby
• Zuzanna Pulawska as Irenka: Julita's contemporary, pregnant with twins, told they were stillborn

Season two only

• Mario Montescu as Mario Zaharia: Cluj-born, Nicoleta's younger brother, trafficked to Denmark for Work-Force
• as Hooman Møller: Copenhagen Deputy Chief Superintendent, Rolf's new boss.
• Șerban Pavlu as Lazâr: Work-Force's Romanian-based human trafficker, organised Nicoleta's and Cosma's abductions
• Theodora Sandu as Nicoleta Zaharia: Mario's older sister, trafficked to Denmark, forced into prostitution as "Venus"
• Jens Jørn Spottag as Christian Hoxa: Board of Integration member, Ethnic Minorities in Denmark (EMIDA) treasurer; front for Work-Force human trafficking for prostitution, cheap labour
• Kaja Halse Gramkow as Hania: Julita's presumptive daughter, seven-year-old
• Adrian Anghel as Bebe: operates Work-Force's West Zealand slaughterhouse, buys Mario; Lazâr's henchman
• Carsten Bjørnlund as Frank Krøjer Jensen: former footballer, owns Panacea Baltic, providing migrant workers, subcontracts Work-Force
• Calita Nantu as Lavinia: trafficked to Denmark alongside Mario, met Nicoleta, forced into prostitution
• Ciprian Nicula as Florin: trafficked to Denmark alongside Mario
• Charles Martins as Capitain Alex Dupont: Parisian policeman, assists Rolf and Claire
• Valentin Gheorghe as Cosma : Nicoleta's boyfriend, trafficked to Denmark, works for Lazâr
• Eliska Materankova & Dominika Tlatová as Baby Siw: Maria and Lars' daughter
• as Alfons Oliver/Pimp: brothel chain owner, buys Nicoleta, Dorina, Livinia forced them into prostitution
• Meda Topirceanu as Dorina: trafficked to Denmark alongside Nicoleta, forced into prostitution
• Sofia Khuong as Pige i Koma (English:"Girl in a Coma")/Lin Nath Hùng: survivor from human trafficking

Episode guide

Season two

References

1. Web site: Roxborough . Scott . BBC Picks Up Danish Drama ‘DNA’ Starring Charlotte Rampling . . 27 May 2020 . 29 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231008230324/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/bbc-picks-up-danish-drama-dna-starring-charlotte-rampling-1296078/ . 8 October 2023 . live .
2. Web site: Anders W. Berthelsen and Charlotte Rampling in new crime series DNA . . 28 February 2019 . 29 September 2024 .
3. Web site: Skuespiltalentet Olivia Joof: »Pludselig var der et sted, hvor jeg kunne bruge larmen I mit hoved til noget« . Acting talent Olivia Joof: 'Suddenly there was a place where I could use the noise in my head for something' . Mathilde Johanne . Kristiansen . 13 September 2019 . Soundvenue. 29 September 2024 . da .
4. Web site: BBC Four - DNA, Series 2, 'Hepatitis' . 29 September 2024 . BBC . https://web.archive.org/web/20240203145259/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g6mq12 . 3 February 2024 . live .