‘Jett’: Giancarlo Esposito To Co-Star In Cinemax Drama Series

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul’s Giancarlo Esposito is set for a lead role opposite star Carla Gugino in Cinemax’s straight-to-series drama Jett, from Gothika scribe Sebastian Gutierrez. Also cast as series regulars are Elena Anaya, Michael Aronov, Gaite Jansen, Chris Backus, Gil Bellows and Violet McGraw. Jodie Turner-Smith, Gentry White, Lucy Walters and Mustafa Shakir are set for recurring roles.

Esposito, who has a one-year deal on Jett, is coming off a two-season series regular turn on Better Call Saul, reprising his popular Breaking Bad character of Gustavo “Gus” Fring. That includes Season 3 and the upcoming fourth season, debuting Aug. 9, which already has been shot. I hear that while Esposito has has no deal in place beyond that, he could return to the AMC series should it get renewed for a fifth season, with the production schedule of Jett allowing for that.

Written by Gutierrez, in Jett, fresh out of prison, world-class thief Daisy ”Jett” Kowalski (Gugino) is forced back into doing what she does best by dangerous and eccentric criminals determined to exploit her skills for their own ends.

No specific character details are being provided beyond the general description that the actors make up the gallery of morally ambivalent two-bit hoods, budding femme fatales and compromised law enforcers surrounding anti-heroine Jett Kowalski (Gugino).

I hear Esposito will play Baudelaire, a powerful crime lord; Anaya will play Maria, who served as a surrogate mother for Kowalski’s daughter (McGraw) when she was in prison; and Jansen will play Phoenix, an ex-junkie hooker.

Jett is produced by Global Road Entertainment for Cinemax. Gutierrez executive produces and directs. Mark Stern, Stuart Ford and Dana Brunetti also executive produce. Stacey Levin is co-executive producer. Kathy Landsberg is line producer.

Esposito also narrates Netflix’s Dear White People and recently guest-starred on HBO’s Westworld. On the big screen, he recently wrapped production on director Claude Lalonde’sThe Gift, opposite Sir Patrick Stewart and Katie Holmes. Esposito is repped by ICM Partners and Thruline Entertainment.

Anaya’s most recent credits include The Infiltrator alongsidde Bryan Cranston and John Leguizamo, and Wonder Woman in the role of Dr. Poison. Anaya is repped by ICM Partners and Kuranda Management.

Aronov won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in Oslo. Aronov recently wrapped MGM’s Operation Finale and FX’s The Americans. He’s repped by ICM Partners.

Jansen’s credits include the lead role in feature The Price of Sugar and recurring roles on BBC’s Peaky Blinders and Line of Duty. She is repped by CAA.

Backus’ credits include recurring roles on HBO’s Big Little Lies, Cameron Crowe’s Roadies, Amazon’s Bosch, and WGN’s Underground. He also was the lead in Deliverance Creek. Backus is repped by APA, Untitled Entertainment and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman.

Turner-Smith will next be seen as the female lead in the Syfy/Netflix series Nightflyers. Her other credits include feature Drake Doremus’ The Newness and recurring roles on The Last Ship, Mad Dogs and True Blood. She’s repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.

Best known for his role as Garet Jax on MTV’s The Shannara Chronicles and as Romeo on Season 2 of Lifetime’s UnReal, Gentry also appeared on AMC’s Turn: Washington Spies. He’s repped by Gersh, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Jackoway Austen.

Ally McBeal alum Bellows will next be seen in feature Run This Town with Damian Lewis and Ben Platt, and recently starred in and produced the second season of Amazon’s Patriot. He is repped by Patterson Talent Management, Untitled Entertainment and attorney Jeff Bernstein.

McGraw co-starred in Netflix’s Love, was a series regular in The Haunting of Hill House and was in Ready Player One. She is repped by Paradigm.

Walters, best known for her role as Holly on Starz’s Power, can be seen in Epix’s Get Shorty. On the film side, she recently wrapped Faith and Boarding School. Walters is repped by Innovative Artists and Authentic Talent & Literary Management.

Shakir co-stars in the second season of Marvel’s Luke Cage and will reprise his role as Big Mike in the upcoming second season of HBO’s The Deuce. Shakir is repped by The Gersh Agency and Robyn Bluestone Management.