Betty Gilpin to Play Nun Battling A.I. in Damon Lindelof, Tara Hernandez Peacock Series ‘Mrs. Davis’

Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered the limited series “The Big Cigar” about Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton, Variety has learned.The six-episode series hails from Warner Bros. Television, with André Holland in talks to star as Newton.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWhoopi Goldberg is set to play Bird Woman in the upcoming Amazon series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s “Anansi Boys.”The series follows Charlie Nancy (Malachi Kirby)—sometimes known as Fat Charlie (it was his father’s nickname for him; he’s not fat)—a young man who is used to being embarrassed by his estranged father (Delroy Lindo). But when his father dies, Charlie discovers that he was Anansi: Trickster God of stories. And he learns that he has a brother.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMaya Erskine will star opposite Donald Glover in the upcoming “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” series at Amazon.Erskine takes over the co-starring role from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who had originally been set to star alongside Glover but departed the project last year due to creative differences. Glover revealed the new casting in an interview with himself in Interview Magazine.The series is based on Doug Liman’s feature of the same name starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJessica Williams has signed on to star opposite Jason Segel and Harrison Ford in the Apple comedy series “Shrinking,” Variety has learned.In addition, James Ponsoldt has boarded the show to direct multiple episodes and executive produce. That marks a reunion for Ponsoldt and Segel, who previously worked together on the film “The End of the Tour.”“Shrinking” follows Jimmy (Segel), a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBob Odenkirk could already have a new AMC show lined up.Variety has learned that the “Better Call Saul” star is attached to lead a new dramedy series that is currently being fast-tracked in development at AMC. The series is called “Straight Man,” based on the Richard Russo novel of the same name. It is described a mid-life crisis tale set at Railton College, told in the first person by William Henry Devereaux, Jr.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “Sherlock Holmes” film universe is expanding into TV, with HBO Max currently in early development on two spinoff shows, Variety has learned from sources.The potential shows would be set in the world of 2009’s “Sherlock Holmes” and 2011’s “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” starring Robert Downey Jr. as the master detective and Jude Law as Dr. John Watson, which were inspired by the books of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterWest Duchovny has signed on to star in the upcoming Hulu drama series “Saint X,” Variety has learned.Duchovny joins previously announced cast members Victoria Pedretti and Josh Bonzie in the show, which is based on the Alexis Schaitkin novel of the same name. It is described as a psychological drama, which is told via multiple timelines and perspectives.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHarrison Ford has signed on to star opposite Jason Segel in the Apple comedy series “Shrinking,” Variety has learned.The show was first announced in October 2021. Segel will write the series alongside “Ted Lasso” co-creator Bill Lawrence and “Ted Lasso” star, writer, and co-executive producer Brett Goldstein.“Shrinking” follows Jimmy (Segel), a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterDean Devlin’s new Syfy series “The Ark” has found its core cast members as production gets underway, Variety has learned exclusively.Christie Burke, Richard Fleeshman, Reece Ritchie, Stacey Read and Ryan Adams will all appear as series regulars in the show, which is now shooting at PFI Studios in Belgrade, Serbia. The show was first announced back in January.“The Ark” takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. The first of these missions on a spacecraft known as Ark One encounters a catastrophic event causing massive destruction and loss of life.

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Academy Awards fading to black about midway through Sunday’s show from Los Angeles, with a plea for anyone watching to do whatever possible to send help to those in the war-torn nation.“Recent global events have left many of us feeling gutted,” Kunis said as she took the stage, part of her remarks to introduce Reba McIntyre’s performance of the Oscar-nominated song “Somehow You Do” from “Four Good Days.”“Yet when you witness the strength and dignity of those facing such devastation, it’s impossible to not be moved by their resilience,” Kunis continued. “One cannot help but be in awe of those who find strength to keep fighting through unimaginable darkness.”That’s when McIntyre took the stage, dressed in a black gown, for her performance.The balance between celebrating art while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine rages on has been a delicate one for the Oscars.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterHendrix Yancey has been cast in a main role of the Peacock true crime series “A Friend of the Family.”She joins previously announced cast members Mckenna Grace, Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”Yancey will play Jan Broberg in the early years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterSharon Horgan’s new Apple series has set its main cast.The series, now titled “Bad Sisters,” will star Horgan, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, and Eve Hewson as the Garvey sisters. Claes Bang, Brian Gleeson, Daryl McCormack, Assaad Bouab, and Saise Quinn also star.The series follows the lives of the Garvey sisters bound together by the premature death of their parents and a promise to always protect one another. The show was originally ordered at Apple back in September with a 10-episode order.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMckenna Grace has joined the upcoming Peacock limited series “A Friend of the Family.”Grace joins previously announced cast members stars  Anna Paquin, Jake Lacy, Colin Hanks, and Lio Tipton. The series is based on the true story of the Broberg family, whose daughter Jan was kidnapped multiple times over a period of years by a charismatic, obsessed family “friend.”Grace will star as Jan Broberg in the later years. Jan is the oldest daughter of Bob (Hanks) and Mary Ann Broberg (Paquin) and leads a happy, traditional life in an idyllic American city.

Betty Gilpin (GLOW, The Hunt) has been tapped as the lead of Mrs. Davis, Peacock’s new drama series written and executive produced by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. Emmy-winning director Owen Harris (Black Mirror: San Junipero, Brave New World) will direct and executive produce multiple episodes, including the first episode, of the series, which comes from Warner Bros. Television, where both Hernandez and Lindelof are under overall deals.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAdina Porter and Clark Backo have been cast opposite LaKeith Stanfield in the upcoming Apple drama series “The Changeling,” Variety has learned.The series is based on the book of the same name by Victor LaValle. It is descirbed as a horror story, a parenthood fable, and a perilous odyssey through a New York City you didn’t know existed.Stanfield stars as Apollo. Porter will play Lillian, his mother.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLaysla De Oliveira will star alongside Zoe Saldaña in the upcoming Paramount Plus series “Lioness” from Taylor Sheridan, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is based on a real-life CIA program and follows Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira), described as a rough-around-the-edges but passionate young Marine, who is recruited to join the CIA’s Lioness Engagement Team to help bring down a terrorist organization from within. Saldaña will play Joe, the station chief of the Lioness program tasked with training, managing and leading her female undercover operatives. The series is set to go into production in June.De Oliveira currently stars in the Netflix series “Locke & Key,” with the third season of that series set to debut later in 2022.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA scripted series about legendary rock band U2 is in early development at Netflix, Variety has confirmed with sources.J.J. Abrams is attached to executive produce the project under his Bad Robot banner, with “Bohemian Rhapsody” writer Anthony McCarten onboard to write the script.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“Squid Game” star Hoyeon has been cast in Alfonso Cuarón’s upcoming Apple series “Disclaimer.”Hoyeon will star in the series alongside previously announced cast members Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.Based on the novel of the same name by Renee Knight, “Disclaimer” will star Blanchett as Catherine Ravenscroft, a successful and respected television documentary journalist whose work has been built on revealing the concealed transgressions of long-respected institutions. When an intriguing novel written by a widower (Kline) appears on her bedside table, she is horrified to realize she is a key character in a story that she had hoped was long buried in the past.

Gaslit,” its limited series that tackles the Watergate scandal. The show focuses on the perspective of Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), the wife of Richard Nixon’s attorney general, John Mitchell (Sean Penn). “Gaslit” will debut on Starz’s digital platform at midnight on April 24, with a linear debut the same day at 8 p.m.