Richard Gere will star alongside Helen McCrory (Peaky Blinders, Harry Potter) and Billy Howle (Witness for the Prosecution, On Chesil Beach) as the family at the heart of BBC Two’s forthcoming MotherFatherSon.
The eight-part original drama was created and written by Tom Rob Smith (Child 44, London Spy, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story) and will be made by BBC Studios Drama London for BBC Two.
Richard Gere will play Max, a charismatic self-made American businessman with media outlets in London and around the world. Helen McCrory will play Kathryn, a British heiress who has been estranged from Max following the breakdown of their marriage some years before. Their 30 year-old son, Caden (Billy Howle), runs Max’s UK newspaper and is primed to follow in his father’s footsteps as one of the most powerful men in the world.
But when Caden’s self-destructive lifestyle spirals out of control, the devastating consequences threaten the future of the family, its empire, and a country on the brink of change.
Richard Gere said: “It’s been almost 30 years since I worked in television. I’m so pleased to be working now with the BBC on this extraordinary 8 hour project with such talented people and which resonates so much to the time we live in.”
Tom Rob Smith said: “Telling this story was always going to depend upon gathering an extraordinary cast. Richard Gere has starred in some of the most famous movies of all time. His roles are iconic and complex. He’s joined by the remarkable Helen McCrory, showcasing heartbreaking emotional tenderness and immense power. And completing the central family is Billy Howle, one of the most exciting young actors I’ve ever had the privilege of watching perform. Under the brilliant direction of James Kent, the show promises to be something special for the BBC.”
Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, said: "The scripts for MotherFatherSon seal Tom Rob Smith’s reputation as one of the most individual and original writers of his age. We are thrilled that in Richard, Helen and Billy he has found the perfect eponymous lead characters to bring his series to life."
Hilary Salmon, Executive Producer for BBC Studios Drama London, said: “When we embarked on casting this show we didn’t dare dream of the quality and status of cast we now have in place. What a tribute to Tom Rob Smith’s compelling, emotional and politically timely scripts.”
MotherFatherSon (8×60’) will be made by BBC Studios Drama London for BBC Two and was commissioned by Patrick Holland, Channel Controller of BBC Two. James Kent (The Aftermath, Testament of Youth) will be lead director and the series will be produced by Sharon Bloom (Silent Witness, Rillington Place) and Lisa Osborne (Quirke, Little Dorrit). Executive Producers are Hilary Salmon for BBC Studios Drama London, Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC, Alan Poul (The Newsroom, Six Feet Under) and Tom Rob Smith. MotherFatherSon will be distributed internationally by BBC Studios.
Filming will begin this summer in London and on location in Spain.
Staff Reporter
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