And the award goes to…
Let’s prep for a very exciting awards season with Starz’s Gaslit looking to be quite the thrill ride with a cast that makes your hair stand on end.
Sean Penn may be in Ukraine filming the atrocities occurring there, but you’ll soon see him supporting leading lady Julia Roberts as the two play married couple, John and Martha Mitchell, and it looks like they’ll knock it out of the park!
The series is a modern take on Watergate, focusing on the scandal’s untold stories and forgotten characters — from Nixon’s bumbling and opportunistic subordinates to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes to the tragic whistleblowers.
They would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down.
The story will center on Martha Mitchell, played by Roberts, a big personality with an even bigger mouth. Martha is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to Nixon’s loyal Attorney General, John Mitchell, played by Penn.
Despite her party affiliation, she’s the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon’s involvement in Watergate, causing both the Presidency and her personal life to unravel.
As Attorney General, John Mitchell is Nixon’s most trusted advisor and best friend.
Temperamental, foul-mouthed, and ruthless — yet hopelessly in love with his famously outspoken wife — he’ll be forced to choose between Martha and the President.
Gaslit also stars Dan Stevens as John Dean, Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean, Shea Whigham as G. Gordon Liddy, and Darby Camp as Marty Mitchell.
That cast is enough to give you goosebumps!
Gaslit is based on the first season of the critically acclaimed Slow Burn podcast.
It was created and executive produced by Robbie Pickering, who also serves as showrunner.
Matt Ross directed and executive produced.
Sam Esmail, via his overall deal with UCP and Chad Hamilton, served as executive producers under their production banner Esmail Corp.
Roberts executive produced under her banner Red Om Films, along with co-executive producers Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill.
Anonymous Content and Slate’s Gabriel Roth and Josh Levin also executive produced. Leon Neyfakh, who created the podcast, consulted on the project.
Gaslit is produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, for STARZ.
If the series proper hits the same notes as the trailer, we’re in for quite a treat.
Politics is always explosive, but when stories contain massive personalities like Martha Mitchell, they’re undeniably impossible to overlook.
Everything so far says that Starz has a massive hit on its hands and a potential awards darling!
Will you be watching Gaslit? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
And if you’re leery, check out this trailer. It’s a winner!
Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
