Lincoln Assassination Series ‘Manhunt’ Sets Matt Walsh As Dr. Mudd For Apple TV+

EXCLUSIVE: Two-time Emmy nominee and SAG Award winner Matt Walsh has boarded the Apple Original limited series Manhunt about the Lincoln assassination and aftermath.

Walsh will play Dr. Samuel Mudd, who treated John Wilkes Booth’s broken leg the night President Abraham Lincoln was shot. Mudd did not report Booth to the authorities until days later and later was imprisoned for conspiring with the assassin.

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Manhunt is created by Emmy-nominated writer-producer Monica Beletsky (Fargo, Friday Night Lights), who also is the showrunner and an EP. The historical-fiction conspiracy thriller is based on the best-selling book by James Swanson. Manhunt features Black historical figures whose lives intertwined with the escape, manhunt and subsequent high-crimes investigation, including Mary Simms (Lovie Simone), a former slave of Mudd’s. Anthony Boyle plays Booth.

Walsh joins recently announced Tobias Menzies who stars as Edwin Stanton, Lincoln’s War Secretary and friend, who was driven nearly to madness by the need to catch Booth and to carry out Lincoln’s legacy; the president have laid out his Reconstruction plans, issues which continue to reverberate into the present day.

Walsh played the deadpan White House Communications Director Mike McLintock in HBO’s multi-Emmy winning series Veep across 65 episodes. His feature credits include The Hangover, Due Date, Office Christmas Party, Ghostbusters, Into the Storm, Step Brothers, David Cross’ Sundance cult pic Hits, The Do-Over, Keeping Up With the Joneses, Life of the Party, Under the Eiffel Tower, Widows, among several others.

Walsh recently co-wrote and produced the feature comedy Unplugging which he stars in opposite Eva Longoria. The pic, which hits theaters on April 22, centers around a married couple who try to put down their digital devices for one weekend to help revive their marriage. Walsh also stars in Longoria’s feature directorial debut, Searchlight’s Flamin’ Hot about the Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into an iconic snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon. Upcoming features include Bolt From the Blue, Mandy Fabian’s Jess Plus None, Not an Artist with Haley Joel Osment, Robert Schwartzman, Dan Bakkedahl, and Morgan Walsh; and Press Play opposite Danny Glover. Walsh recently starred as Professor Glen on ABC’s The Conners. He directed, wrote and produced the feature films, High Road and A Better You. He co-founded the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and School with Amy Poehler, Matt Besser and Ian Roberts. As Deadline first reported, UCB plans to reopen theaters as the pandemic eases, with the comedy franchise recently purchased by Mosaic founder Jimmy Miller and former CEO/Owner of The Onion Mike McAvoy with backing from Elysian Park Ventures.

Walsh currently hosts the The Second in Command Podcast and is the co-host of the CW’s Would I Lie To You game show. Walsh is repped by UTA and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.

Walsh received two Best Supporting Comedy Actor Primetime Emmy nominations for Veep in 2016 and 2017 and shared a SAG Comedy Series Cast Ensemble win for the hit HBO comedy in 2018.

Manhunt is produced for Apple TV+ by Apple Studios, and co-produced by Lionsgate, in association with POV Entertainment, Walden Media, and 3 Arts Entertainment. It’s the first series order to hail from Monica Beletsky’s overall deal with Apple TV+, which was recently renewed. Layne Eskridge executive produces along with James Swanson, author of bestselling and Edgar award-winning book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer. Michael Rotenberg and Richard Abate executive produce on behalf of 3 Arts, and Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov executive produce for Walden Media.