Oscar winner Laura Dern will star in a new TV series chronicling the investigation that exposed the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Dern will play Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K. Brown in the untitled series from Sony Pictures TV, based on Brown’s book “Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story.” Sharon Hoffman (“The Morning Show”) will write the series and serve as co-showrunner along with Eileen Myers (“The Night Agent”). No network or streamer is attached yet.
The series is billed as “an explosive account of an investigative reporter exposing the secret plea deal between Epstein and federal prosecutors. Drawing from Brown’s experience as a groundbreaking reporter for the Miami Herald, the book and the limited series follow her relentless years-long investigation that identified 80 victims, persuaded key survivors to go on the record, and led to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrests.”
Dern earned an Emmy in 2017 for starring alongside Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon on the HBO series “Big Little Lies,” which is reportedly eyeing a Season 3 return. She also co-starred on Apple TV’s recently canceled “Palm Royale” and headlined the HBO dramedy “Enlightened.” On the big screen, she won an Oscar in 2020 for “Marriage Story,” along with roles in “Jurassic Park,” “Blue Velvet,” and more.
In other casting news…
* HBO’s “The White Lotus” has added Heather Graham (“Californication”) to its Season 4 cast, Variety reports. (No character details have been released.) Also joining the cast for the France-set Season 4: Rosie Perez (“The Flight Attendant”), Ben Schnetzer (“The Madison”), Tobias Santelmann (“The Last Kingdom”), Frida Gustavsson (“Vikings: Valhalla”), and Laura Smet (“Fauda”). For more on Season 4, click here.
* Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace”) has joined the Season 5 cast of Apple TV’s “The Morning Show,” according to Deadline. He’ll play Wyatt, the quick-witted older brother and manager of Boyd Holbrook’s Bro.
* Peter Alexander, who recently exited NBC News as “Today” weekend co-host and chief White House correspondent, will join MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) to anchor the network’s weekday 11 a.m. slot and serve as chief national reporter, Variety reports.
* Stellan Skarsgard (“Andor”) will star alongside Dakota Fanning in her untitled Apple TV thriller series, per Deadline. He’ll play Brandt, the head of an international conglomerate that Fanning’s character is infiltrating as an undercover Treasury agent.
* Paramount+’s “Yellowstone” spin-off “Dutton Ranch” has added Berto Colón (“The Penguin”) and Hart Denton (“Riverdale”) to its cast, Deadline reports. Colón will play cowboy Miguel, with Denton as rival ranch employee Chet.
* “The Boys” prequel series “Vought Rising” has added James Wolk (“Mad Men”) to its cast in a recurring role, per Deadline, along with Dylan Arnold (“YOU”), Josh Randall (“Station 19”), and Chad Willett (“Big Sky”).