Former Halt and Catch Fire star Aleksa Palladino is set for a lead role opposite Russell Crowe in Showtime’s upcoming eight-episode limited series about Fox News founder Roger Ailes, played by Crowe.
The as-yet untitled series (fka Secure and Hold: The Last Days of Roger Ailes), a Blumhouse Television and Showtime co-production, is based on Gabriel Sherman’s bestselling book The Loudest Voice in the Room and his extensive reporting for New York magazine about the sordid allegations of sexual harassment that prompted the late Ailes’ ouster at Fox News. Sherman co-wrote the first episode with Spotlight writer Tom McCarthy, who executive produces with Jason Blum.
Palladino will play Judy, Ailes’ longtime assistant and confidante who follows him from NBC News to Fox News Channel. In addition to Crowe, she joins series stars Naomi Watts, Seth MacFarlane, Sienna Miller, Simon McBurney and Annabelle Wallis.
Crowe, McCarthy, Blum and Alex Metcalf executive produce with Marci Wiseman and Jeremy Gold for Blumhouse Television, along with Liza Chasin (Darkest Hour) of 3dot Productions, who recently joined as executive producer.
The series focuses primarily on the past decade in which Ailes arguably became the Republican Party’s de facto leader, while flashing back to defining events in Ailes’ life, including an initial meeting with Richard Nixon on the set of The Mike Douglas Show that gave birth to Ailes’ political career and the sexual harassment accusations and settlements that brought his Fox News reign to an end. Told through multiple points of view, the limited series aims to shed light on the psychology that drives the political process from the top down.
Palladino is best known for her previous starring roles in AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire and HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. She recurs on CBS All Access’ mystery thriller drama series $1 and will next be seen in Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. Palladino is repped by Gersh.
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