STARZ ANNOUNCES ELISABETH SHUE AND JASON SCHWARTZMAN TO GUEST STAR ON “BLUNT TALK”

 

Series stars patrick stewart and is executive produced BY

SETH MACFARLANE AND JONATHAN AMES

Beverly Hills, Calif. – March 5, 2015 - The STARZ Original series “Blunt Talk” has added two guest cast members to its roster of actors appearing in the premiere season.  Elisabeth Shue (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” Chasing Mavericks) and Jason Schwartzman (The Grand Budapest Hotel, “Bored to Death”) will appear in the first season of the half-hour scripted comedy series from MRC and executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, Jonathan Ames (creator and showrunner), Stephanie Davis and Tristram Shapeero.

Shue and Schwartzman will both appear as possible guests for Walter Blunt’s (Patrick Stewart) nightly cable news show “Blunt Talk.”  They join previously announced recurring stars Richard Lewis (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Ed Begley Jr. (“Arrested Development,” “St. Elsewhere”) and guest stars that include musician and actor Moby, Sharon Lawrence (“Rizzoli & Isles,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) among others.

Shue has recently wrapped her fourth season on the CBS hit series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her extensive film career includes an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her work in Leaving Las Vegas, which also garnered her an Independent Spirit Award win. Other feature credits

include Behaving Badly, Hope Springs, The Saint, Soap Dish and Cocktail among others.  Shue is represented by Management 360 and Creative Artists Agency.

Schwartzman, most recently seen in the Academy Award nominated film The Grand Budapest Hotel and Listen Up Philip, made his motion picture debut in Rushmore. In 2009, Schwartzman stared in the HBO series “Bored To Death” for three seasons which was created by Jonathan Ames.  Other credits include Saving Mr. Banks, The Darjeeling Limited, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Moonrise Kingdom.

Set in Los Angeles, the story follows Walter Blunt, a British import intent on conquering the world of American cable news and the fallout from his well-intentioned, but mostly misguided decision-making, both on and off the air. The series will premiere on STARZ in the summer of 2015.

Through the platform of his nightly cable news show, Blunt is on a mission to impart his wisdom and guidance on how Americans should live, think and behave.  Besieged by network bosses, a dysfunctional news staff, numerous ex-wives and children of all ages, Blunt’s only support is the alcoholic manservant he transplanted from the U.K. to join him in Los Angeles.  The series is greenlit for a two-season, 20-episode commitment.

The actors join the previously announced cast led by Patrick Stewart (X-Men franchise, Ted) in the role of Walter Blunt, Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook) as Rosalie, Blunt’s tough and motherly producer-manager and Adrian Scarborough (The King’s Speech) as Harry, Blunt’s manservant. Dolly Wells (“Doll & Em”) who was cast as Celia, Blunt’s senior producer and head writer, with Timm Sharp (“Enlightened”) who was cast as Jim, Blunt’s head writer round out the cast.

MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door Productions, Inc. serve as executive producer.  Ames, who created the series, will also serve as executive producer, showrunner as well as a writer on the project.  Tristram Shapeero (“Community”) and Stephanie Davis (“Bored to Death”) will also serve as executive producers with Shapeero also serving as director. Stewart will also serve as producer on the series.

MRC, the studio behind MacFarlane’s directorial debut Ted, which is the highest grossing original comedy of all time worldwide, the highly anticipated sequel, Ted 2, and the award-winning series “House of Cards,” is best known as one of the most artist friendly independent studios. 

About MRC

MRC is a leading film and television studio, specializing in the creation of content in partnership with the industry’s foremost creative talent.  The company develops, produces and finances film and TV for leading distributors including Sony, Warner Brothers, Universal and Fox, as well as premier networks including HBO, ABC, Netflix, AMC, Lifetime and Comedy Central. 

MRC is the studio behind the Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning series, House of Cards, distributed by Netflix and various international distributors.  The company also developed, produced and financed Ted, distributed by Universal Pictures, the highest grossing original comedy of all time.  For more information, please visit www.mrcstudios.com.

About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ^® and ENCORE^® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies.  As of December 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 57.3 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 34.0 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S.  STARZ^® and ENCORE^®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX^®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television.  Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.  Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.