EXCLUSIVE: Ted Levine (On Becoming A God In Central Florida, The Alienist) has joined the cast of David E. Kelley’s hit freshman ABC drama series Big Sky as a new series regular. Additionally, Kyle Schmid has been tapped for a recurring role. Both will make their debut on the show later this season.
The crime thriller series, created by Big Littles Lies‘ Kelley based on C.J Box’s book, follows private detective Cassie Dewell, played by Kylie Bunbury, and ex-cop Jenny Hoyt, played by Katheryn Winnick, who join forces to search for two sisters who have been kidnapped by a truck driver on a remote highway in Montana. But when they discover that these are not the only girls who have disappeared in the area, they must race against the clock to stop the killer before another woman is taken.
Levine will play Horst Kleinsasser. Horst has run the ranch empire for decades with a petty ruthlessness, buying up failing ranches, making deals, expanding his grip on the small, rural Lochsa County. He’s set up his children to compete and screw each other over. This once-powerful man has suffered a stroke and can only whisper, and knows he has to pass the ranch throne on to one of his children.
Schmid will portray John Wayne Kleinsasser. Second-born and angry. The sort of guy who drives a Ford King Ranch with an NRA decal. He clings to the old ways of the ranch with a ferocity and forcefulness. John Wayne has used his father’s illness to grab the reins of the ranch and steer it away from his brother Blake, the eldest son who turned his back on the family years ago.
After a winter break, Big Sky returns with new episodes Jan. 26 to resolve its fall finale cliffhanger involving the Rick Legarski shocker.
Following a strong ratings start for the freshman drama, ABC in December ordered six additional episodes, bringing the first season to a total of 16 episodes, with a Season 2 renewal also looking promising if the ratings performance remains solid.
Produced by 20th Television in association with A+E Studios, Big Sky is exec produced by Kelley, Ross Fineman, Matthew Gross, Paul McGuigan, Box and Gwyneth Horder-Payton. The series also stars Brian Geraghty as Ronald Pergman, Dedee Pfeiffer as Denise Brisbane, Natalie Alyn Lind as Danielle Sullivan, Jade Pettyjohn as Grace Sullivan, Jesse James Keitel as Jerrie and Valerie Mahaffey as Helen Pergman.
Monk alum Levine recently starred opposite Kirsten Dunst in On Becoming A God in Central Florida, which aired for one season on Showtime. He also co-starred on TNT’s The Alienist and is maybe best known for his role as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer on all eight seasons of USA’s Monk. Levine is repped by Kass Management.
Schmid most recently starred as Moses in Netflix series The I-Land. He is known for his role as Alex Caulder on History’s Six, the NBC pilot Babylon and Being Human, among others. He also recently worked on the independent feature The Last Victim written and directed by Naveen A. Chathapuram. Schmid is repped by A3 Artists, NCA Talent, and Principal Entertainment LA.
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