Mr. Television
06-05-2008, 11:56 PM
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/film-icon-dennis-hopper-to,422501.shtml
Film Icon Dennis Hopper to Star in Starz Entertainment and Lionsgate's Original Series 'Crash'
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Film icon Dennis Hopper has been
set to star in "Crash," the first original drama series from Starz
Entertainment, based on the Academy Award(R)-winning Best Picture. The
13-episode one-hour series, co-produced with Lionsgate, has begun production
in Albuquerque, N.M., with additional filming to take place in and around Los
Angeles, Calif. Sanford Bookstaver ("Jericho," "Bones," "The O.C.") will
direct the premiere episode of the drama, which will debut on Starz in
October. The announcement was made jointly today by Stephan Shelanski, Starz
Entertainment's executive vice president programming, and Kevin Beggs,
Lionsgate's president of programming and production.
The cast includes film and television veteran Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet,
"24") as "Ben," a veteran, maverick music producer looking for his last big
score; Clare Carey ("Jericho") as "Christine," a frustrated Brentwood mom,
married to a successful pre-bust real estate developer; Luis Chavez (Ocean's
Thirteen, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as "Cesar," a poor
immigrant who embarks on a brutal journey to America; Ross McCall ("Band of
Brothers," "CSI:NY") plays "Kenny," a cop more interested in joyriding than
paperwork; Jocko Sims (Dreamgirls, "CSI") is "Anthony," Ben's driver; Brian
Tee ("Grey's Anatomy," "Zoey 101") portrays "Eddie," a Korean-American
immigrant who works as an EMT; and Arlene Tur ("Grey's Anatomy") is "Bebe," a
former actress who becomes a police officer. Additional cast will be announced
soon.
Headed by executive producer Glen Mazzara ("The Shield"), the creative
team includes executive producers Paul Haggis, Bob Yari and Bobby Moresco, and
co-executive producers Don Cheadle, Tom Nunan, Mark Harris, Jorg Westerkamp
and Thomas Becker, all of whom were key members of the Oscar-winning
theatrical production team. Writers joining Mazzara for the series are
co-executive producers Frank Renzulli ("The Sopranos") and Ted Mann
("Deadwood," "Miami Vice"); producer Stacy Rukeyser ("One Tree Hill," "Without
a Trace"); and executive story editors Chris Collins ("The Wire") and Randy
Huggins ("The Shield"). John B. Moranville ("Drive") is line producer.
Set in Los Angeles, the series will continue to focus on an ensemble cast
of characters. It will explore the complexities of social tolerance in
contemporary America by digging into the meaning of what it takes to reach the
American dream. Characters will intertwine and crash into each other, coming
face to face with the daily hurdles and obstacles that threaten to get in the
way of achieving that dream.
Starz Media's Anchor Bay Entertainment will hold exclusive U.S.
distribution rights, including home entertainment, to the "Crash" series,
while Lionsgate will retain international distribution.
Film Icon Dennis Hopper to Star in Starz Entertainment and Lionsgate's Original Series 'Crash'
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Film icon Dennis Hopper has been
set to star in "Crash," the first original drama series from Starz
Entertainment, based on the Academy Award(R)-winning Best Picture. The
13-episode one-hour series, co-produced with Lionsgate, has begun production
in Albuquerque, N.M., with additional filming to take place in and around Los
Angeles, Calif. Sanford Bookstaver ("Jericho," "Bones," "The O.C.") will
direct the premiere episode of the drama, which will debut on Starz in
October. The announcement was made jointly today by Stephan Shelanski, Starz
Entertainment's executive vice president programming, and Kevin Beggs,
Lionsgate's president of programming and production.
The cast includes film and television veteran Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet,
"24") as "Ben," a veteran, maverick music producer looking for his last big
score; Clare Carey ("Jericho") as "Christine," a frustrated Brentwood mom,
married to a successful pre-bust real estate developer; Luis Chavez (Ocean's
Thirteen, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") as "Cesar," a poor
immigrant who embarks on a brutal journey to America; Ross McCall ("Band of
Brothers," "CSI:NY") plays "Kenny," a cop more interested in joyriding than
paperwork; Jocko Sims (Dreamgirls, "CSI") is "Anthony," Ben's driver; Brian
Tee ("Grey's Anatomy," "Zoey 101") portrays "Eddie," a Korean-American
immigrant who works as an EMT; and Arlene Tur ("Grey's Anatomy") is "Bebe," a
former actress who becomes a police officer. Additional cast will be announced
soon.
Headed by executive producer Glen Mazzara ("The Shield"), the creative
team includes executive producers Paul Haggis, Bob Yari and Bobby Moresco, and
co-executive producers Don Cheadle, Tom Nunan, Mark Harris, Jorg Westerkamp
and Thomas Becker, all of whom were key members of the Oscar-winning
theatrical production team. Writers joining Mazzara for the series are
co-executive producers Frank Renzulli ("The Sopranos") and Ted Mann
("Deadwood," "Miami Vice"); producer Stacy Rukeyser ("One Tree Hill," "Without
a Trace"); and executive story editors Chris Collins ("The Wire") and Randy
Huggins ("The Shield"). John B. Moranville ("Drive") is line producer.
Set in Los Angeles, the series will continue to focus on an ensemble cast
of characters. It will explore the complexities of social tolerance in
contemporary America by digging into the meaning of what it takes to reach the
American dream. Characters will intertwine and crash into each other, coming
face to face with the daily hurdles and obstacles that threaten to get in the
way of achieving that dream.
Starz Media's Anchor Bay Entertainment will hold exclusive U.S.
distribution rights, including home entertainment, to the "Crash" series,
while Lionsgate will retain international distribution.