A new Australian drama starring Hugo Weaving as a “fast-moving fixer” solving daily crises at an airport will take off internationally after being picked up by streaming giant Netflix.

The Airport Chaplain is the first SBS Original drama to stream on Netflix, with the broadcaster announcing this week that it will become available to audiences in more than 190 countries and regions from August 26, the same date it premieres on SBS.

The series ­– which also stars The Pitt’s Shabana Azeez and an ensemble cast including Claudia Karvan – comes from Wooden Horse, the award-winning Australian indie production company behind shows such as rebooted comedy Mother and Son and documentary series Stuff the British Stole.

It was inspired by co-creator and executive producer Jude Troy’s meeting with the real-life chaplain at Melbourne International Airport, who came to her aid after she left her handbag on the back seat of an Uber during a work trip and couldn’t board her flight home without it.

“What began with a chance encounter with a real airport chaplain has become a distinctive and captivating drama series about connection and humanity,” Troy said.

“We’re so delighted that The Airport Chaplain is not only coming in to land on SBS and SBS On Demand, but also taking flight internationally with Netflix.”

SBS describes the show as “a big-hearted, gripping drama” with a “distinctly Australian story”.

Its first trailer, released on Wednesday, shows Weaving’s chaplain, Tobias Wallace, clashing with his new boss Mira (played by Azeez) amid chaotic scenes involving some kind of security incident that the latter warns “could have caused an international incident”.

The pair’s ongoing power struggle ultimately creates waves throughout the terminal.

Shabana Azeez plays the chaplain’s nemesis. Photo: Ben King / SBS

Weaving said The Airport Chaplain captured the full gamut of airport experiences, such as  “reunions, departures, joy, grief, and everything in between”.

“Tobias is a wonderfully complicated character, deeply committed to helping others, often in ways that don’t fit the rulebook,” he explained.

The actor told entertainment website Deadline that he was immediately drawn to the “flawed but deeply humane” Tobias, who “struggles to separate himself from the emotional terrain of the airport and the myriads of characters that seek his counsel”.

“With such universal resonance it couldn’t be more perfect that The Airport Chaplain is set to reach a global audience via Netflix,” Weaving added.

The cast also includes Thomas Weatherall (Heartbreak High), Erroll Shand (All Her Fault), Brenna Harding (The Twelve, Total Control) and Michael Logo (Colin from Accounts).