IN PICTURES: Love/Hate stars in new Haughey biopic

Littlefinger as Charlie Haughey? Nidge as Mara? How we scoffed. But we scoff no more…

We confess to raising our eyebrows recently when it emerged that Aidan Gillen - aka Littlefinger, John Boy and Tommy Carcetti had been cast as Charles Haughey in an upcoming RTÉ biopic of the former Taoiseach.

'Charlie', a three-part drama directed by Kenny Glenaan and Charlie McCarthy, covers the period from the former taoiseach’s bid for power in 1979 and chronicles his attempts to maintain that power until his departure from politics in 1992.

And judging by these on-set pics to emerge from shooting in Dublin over the past couple of days, Gillen's got it nailed.

Meanwhile Gillen's Love/Hate colleague Tom Vaughan-Lawlor - aka the Nidge Weasel himself - portrays Haughey's press adviser, PJ Mara.

Peter O'Meara - who plays dentist Andrew in Love/Hate ("You're getting taxed") - portrays then Tánaiste, the late Brian Lenihan Snr.

Here's David Herlihy as Haughey's Industry Minister Ray Burke, whileEnglish actress Lucy Cohu takes the role of Haughey's mistress, social diarist Terry Keane.

Another view of Gillen as the boss, with Haughey's hawkish gaze down to a tee.

Chilling.

Filming is underway on the three-part drama and broadcast details will be confirmed closer to transmission.

(All pictures: Niall Carson/PA)