LAST NIGHT’S “OUTSIDERS” CELEBRATION AND WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING AT THE NEW YORK TELEVISION FESTIVAL

WGN AMERICA TO PREMIERE ALL-NEW GRITTY DRAMA SERIES JANUARY 2016

“I mean, they burn money. That’s f***ed up! There were all these cool things about it. The ATVs! All this great, juicy stuff in it.” – Executive Producer, Paul Giamatti on what drew him to the script of the upcoming WGN America series “Outsiders.”

Following the world premiere screening last night at the New York Television Festival, the cast and creative team of WGN America’s upcoming series “Outsiders,” sat down with moderator Bruce Fretts, Senior Articles Editor, Closer Weekly, to discuss what drew them to the inventive series set in the rugged hills of Appalachia. The 13-episode, one-hour drama, slated to debut in January 2016 explores the epic battle between the Farrell Clan, a tight-knit family of renegades who have lived atop the rugged Shay Mountain for over two hundred years, and anyone who would dare to challenge them or threaten their land and way of life—including the town below.  According to Executive producer Paul Giamatti, what initially drew him in was the uniqueness of the script, “I mean, they burn money. That’s f***ed up! There were all these cool things about it. The ATVs! All this great, juicy stuff in it. So we took it to the WGN America guys, and they really sparked to it too.” Giamatti’s comment resulted in resounding agreement from the panel which included actors David Morse, Ryan Hurst, Gillian Alexy, Kyle Gallner, and Christina Jackson as well as executive producers Peter Tolan and Peter Mattei.

For his part, series creator and showrunner Mattei was impressed with WGN America’s willingness to push boundaries with the series, “Kudos to them for having the balls to really go for it with this show. There were several times writing the season where we would just reach a stalemate, or back-and-forth arguments, and I was just say ‘Well f*** it I’m going to write the weirdest thing I can think of’… and they would look at the weirdest thing I wrote and say, ‘We love it.’”

On Thursday, October 22, WGN America celebrated the world-premiere screening of their upcoming drama “Outsiders,” at the 11^th annual New York Television Festival. The cast, creator, and executive producers attended the screening of the series premiere followed by a panel discussion.

Actor Ryan Hurst, creator and executive producer Peter Mattei, executive producer Peter Tolan, actor Christina Jackson, executive producer Paul Giamatti, actor Kyle Gallner, actor David Morse, actor Gillian Alexy attend the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for WGN America/AP Images)

Actor Ryan Hurst, creator and executive producer Peter Mattei, executive producer Peter Tolan, Tribune Media CEO Peter Liguori, actor Christina Jackson, executive producer Paul Giamatti, actor Kyle Gallner, actor David Morse, actor Gillian Alexy attend the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for WGN America/AP Images)

Actor Ryan Hurst attends the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for WGN America/AP Images)

Peter Mattei (Creator and Executive Producer, Outsiders), Peter Tolan (Executive Producer, Outsiders) and Paul Giamatti (Executive Producer, Outsiders), attend the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for WGN America/AP Images)

Kyle Gallner (Hasil Farrell, Outsiders), Ryan Hurst (Lil Foster, Outsiders), Gillian Alexy (G’Winveer Farrell, Outsiders), David Morse (Big Foster, Outsiders) and Peter Mattei (Creator and Executive Producer, Outsiders) attend the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015

Kyle Gallner (Hasil Farrell, Outsiders), Ryan Hurst (Lil Foster, Outsiders) and Gillian Alexy (G’Winveer Farrell, Outsiders) at the WGN America world premiere screening of "Outsiders", during the New York Television Festival at the SVA Theatre, on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision for WGN America/AP Images)

ABOUT “OUTSIDERS”

A Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios production, “Outsiders” is written and created by award-winning playwright Peter Mattei, who executive produces alongside Fedora Entertainment's Emmy® Award winner Peter Tolan ("Rescue Me," "Analyze This"), Emmy Award-winner Paul Giamatti ("John Adams," "Sideways"), Dan Carey ("All Is Bright") for Touchy Feely Films and Fedora’s Michael Wimer ("2012," "Rake"). “Outsiders” explores the epic struggle between the Farrell Clan, who have lived atop the rugged Shay Mountain for over two hundred years, and their battle to defend their land and their way of life from the town below and anyone who would dare to challenge them. 

“Outsiders” is WGN America’s third original series, coming off of its breakout original drama “Salem” and Emmy Award-winning drama “Manhattan." 

The ensemble cast for “Outsiders” includes: David Morse (“Treme,” “Hurt Locker”) as Big Foster, a gruff and powerful heir to leadership; Thomas M. Wright (“The Bridge,” “Top of the Lake”) as Sheriff Wade Houghton, a cop who has a history with the Farrells, and grapples with a few troubles of his own; Ryan Hurst (“Sons of Anarchy,” “Bates Motel”), as Lil Foster, a massive mountain man and son of Big Foster; Joe Anderson (“The Divide,” “Across the Universe”) as Asa, a member of the Farrell clan looking to rejoin the family after a stint with the outside world; Gillian Alexy (“The Americans,” “Damages”) as G'Winveer, a survivor and Asa’s confidante; Kyle Gallner (“American Sniper,” “Veronica Mars”) as Hasil, an intuitive soul who feels rejected by the group; Christina Jackson (“Boardwalk Empire,” “Deception”) as Sally-Ann, a beautiful girl from a mining town who is fascinated by the Farrells and Hasil in particular; Francie Swift (“Hostages,” “House of Cards”) as Haylie, a cunning, all-American community relations manager with the encroaching coal company; and Phyllis Somerville (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Big C”) as Lady Ray, the regal yet tough leader of the Farrell clan.   

  

About WGN America and Tribune Studios

WGN America, the flagship entertainment network of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), is nationally distributed in 73 million homes via cable, satellite and telco, with entertainment programming including the original, scripted series "Salem," "Manhattan,” “Underground” and "Outsiders,” along with first-run syndicated series, blockbuster movies and live sports.  Through Tribune Studios, the creative development arm of Tribune Media, original content is produced for WGN America and Tribune local stations nationwide.  Follow the network on Twitter @wgnamerica.  For additional information, please visit www.wgnamerica.com.