Patrick Dempsey, Ben Schnetzer Star In ‘The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair’

Grey’s Anatomy alum Patrick Dempsey, Ben Schnetzer, Damon Wayans Jr and Virginia Madsen are set to topline The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, the 10-part event series produced by MGM Television, Eagle Pictures and Barbary Films. Based on the bestselling European novel by Joël Dicker, the series is slated to air on Epix and is the first project since MGM recently took full control of the cable channel, buying out partners Paramount and Lionsgate.

All episodes are being helmed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, director of films like Seven Years In Tibet and the Oscar-winning Black And White In Color, in his television directorial debut. Production is underway in Canada.

Dempsey will play the title character, a literary icon who suddenly finds himself indicted for murder after the body of a young girl is found buried on his property. Schnetzer will play Marcus Goldman, who is visiting Harry’s home to find a cure for his writer’s block as his publisher’s deadline looms. Those plans are upended when Harry is sensationally implicated in the cold-case murder of Nola Kellergan, a 15-year-old girl who has been missing for many years.

Wayans plays Sgt. Perry Gahalowood, a Maine State Police investigator who is investigating Kellergan death. Madsen plays Tamara Quinn, the owner of a local diner and mother to Jenny who learns of a secret about Quebert.

Rounding out the cast are newcomer Kristine Froseth (Apostle), who plays Kellergan, the teenage girl who captivates Harry and becomes his muse; Colm Feore (House Of Cards) as Elijah Stern, one of the most powerful men in New England who’s spent his life atoning for a secret past; Josh Close (Person Of Interest) plays Luther Caleb, Stern’s right-hand man who suffers from disfiguring scars caused by a horrific attack; Matt Frewer (Timeless) as Reverend Kellergan, Nola’s eccentric father; Connor Price (X Company) as Young Travis Dawn, a rookie cop who falls love with Jenny Quinn, a former prom queen played by Tessa Mossey (The Glass Castle) in her teenage years and by Victoria Clark (Homeland) in her adult years; Craig Eldridge (The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan) plays the elder Travis Dawn who has risen in the ranks to become chief of police; Kurt Fuller (Phil) plays Police Chief Gareth Pratt who originally ran the investigation into Nola’s disappearance; Don Harvey (The Deuce) as Bobbo Quinn, Tamara Quinn’s husband; Felicia Shulman (Brad’s Status) as Maggie Pratt, Chief Gareth Pratt’s wife and the town busybody; and Wayne Knight (Narcos) as Benjamin Roth, Harry’s high-priced, high-pressure attorney.

Lyn Greene and Richard Levine wrote the pilot script and several episodes based on an adaptation by Annaud, who also serves as exec producer along with Tarak Ben Ammar, Fabio Conversi, Greene, and Levine. MGM’s Lindsay Sloane and Ken Raskoff will oversee production on behalf of the studio. Jocelyn Diaz will oversee for Epix.

Dempsey, whose upcoming slate includes The Postcard Killings and Berlin, I Love You, is repped by UTA, Burstein Company and Stone, Genow. Schnetzer, repped by Gersh and attorney David Weber, will appear in The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan with Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain. Wayans, who starred in New Girls, is with Rise Management, WME and Ziffren Brittenham. Madsen, Oscar nominee for Sideways, is repped by UTA and Untitled.

Froseth is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Feore by Coronel Group and Gersh; Close by Don Buchwald & Associates, Thruline and Parent Management; Frewer by Gilbertson Entertainment and Lucas Talent; Price by Amanda Rosenthal Talent Agency, and Coast to Coast; Mossey by The Talent House; Clark by Innovative and Untitled; Eldridge by Edna Talent Management; Fuller by APA, and Leverage Management; Harvey by Kazarian, Measures, Ruskin and Associates; Shulman by Cameo Agency Inc.; Knight by APA.

Annaud is repped by Jeff Berg of Northside Services.