Home TV News Alan Cumming & Ed Asner Join Sam Esmail’s ‘Briarpatch’ In Recurring Roles

Alan Cumming & Ed Asner Join Sam Esmail’s ‘Briarpatch’ In Recurring Roles

by Dave Elliott

Alan Cumming & Ed Asner Join Sam Esmail’s ‘Briarpatch’ In Recurring Roles

Not content with starring in one US drama, Alan Cumming (‘Instinct’) is joining another as he signs on for a recurring role in Briarpatch‘, the new anthology series from ‘Mr Robot’ creator Sam Esmail.

Based on the Ross Thomas novel of the same name, Season 1 of ‘Briarpatch’ follows Allegra Dill (played by ‘Luke Cage’s Rosario Dawson), a dogged investigator returning to her border-town Texas home after her sister is murdered. What begins as a search for a killer turns into an all-consuming fight to bring her corrupt hometown to its knees. The season celebrates the beloved genres represented by Thomas’ book – a stylish blend of crime and pulp fiction – while updating his sense of fun, danger and place for a new generation.

Cumming is set to play Clyde Brattle, an elegant, charming, and murderous arms dealer. He is currently a fugitive… and the target of a Senatorial investigation run by Dill. He arrives in town to wreak havoc and settle some old scores.

Currently, Alan Cumming is starring in CBS dramedy ‘Instinct’, which has just begun its 2nd Season in the US. The renewal announcement for a potential Season 3 of that show isn’t expected until late Summer, but as ‘Briarpatch’ is a recurring role, the two jobs shouldn’t interfere with each other, should ‘Instinct’ get picked up again.

Also joining the show is eight-time Emmy-winning actor Ed Asner, who plays James Staghorne Sr., the President and owner of the town’s only newspaper, The Chronicle. The longtime power behind the power in City Hall, he never bothers to hide his racism and resentment and deigns only to speak to his son Jimmy Jr. – unless someone sets off his powerful temper.

Asner is a veteran actor best known for his role as Lou Grant on ‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and its spin-off series ‘Lou Grant’. At 89, he has a massive list of credits, but most recently he appeared in Netflix series ‘Dead to Me’. Over the past few years, he has also popped up in shows such as ‘Cobra Kai’, ‘Doom Patrol’, ‘Bones’, ‘MacGyver’ and ‘The Good Wife’.

Kim Dickens (‘Fear the Walking Dead’, ‘House of Cards’), Jay R. Ferguson (‘Twin Peaks’, ‘The Conners’), Brian Geraghty (‘Chicago’ franchise, ‘The Alienist’) and Edi Gathegi (‘The Blacklist’, ‘StartUp’) also star.

The series is written for television by Andy Greenwald (‘Legion’), who will executive produce, along with ‘Mr. Robot’ creator Sam Esmail through his production company Esmail Corp, and Anonymous Content’s Chad Hamilton. Ana Lily Amirpour (‘Castle Rock’, ‘Legion’) directed the pilot and also served as an executive producer. In addition to her starring role, Dawson will serve as a producer on Briarpatch. UCP and Paramount Television serve as the studios.

It’s still too early for a UK broadcaster for Briarpatch, but we’ll let you know when we hear something. The drama will air on USA Network in America.

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