
EXCLUSIVE: Jimmi Simpson (Perpetual Grace, LTD) is set to star opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris in the drama series The Man Who Fell to Earth, which recently moved from CBS All Access/Paramount+ to Showtime.
Based on the Walter Tevis novel and the iconic 1976 film that starred David Bowie, The Man Who Fell to Earth will follow a new alien character (Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future.
Simpson will play Spencer Clay, a CIA agent whose obsession with the alien’s true identity drives him to the edge of madness. Harris plays Justin Falls, a brilliant scientist and engineer.
Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet are writing and executive producing the series and will serve as showrunners along with executive producer John Hlavin. Kurtzman also will direct multiple episodes of the series. Sarah Timberman, Carl Beverly and Heather Kadin also are executive producing, along with rights holder Studiocanal’s Rola Bauer and Françoise Guyonnet. The series, produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Timberman/Beverly, is scheduled to begin production in London this spring and will premiere on Showtime in 2022.
Simpson starred opposite Ben Kingsley and Jacki Weaver in Steven Conrad’s Epix series Perpetual Grace, LTD. He previously recurred as William on HBO’s Westworld, earning an Emmy nomination for his performance. Simpson also starred in the Emmy-winning “USS Callister” episode of Netflix’s anthology series Black Mirror, for which he earned a BAFTA nomination.
He can be seen in the recently released features Breaking News in Yuba County, directed by Tate Taylor, and Tiller Russell’s Silk Road. Simpson, who also appeared in Season 2 of CBS All Access’s The Twilight Zone, produced by CBS Studios, is repped by ICM Partners, Industry Entertainment and Bruce Gelman.
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