HBO announced that the new miniseries Show Me A Hero will premiere August 16.
Show Me A Hero was created by David Simon (The Wire, Treme) and directed by Paul Haggis (Crash). The miniseries will air in six parts and is based on a nonfiction book of the same name. The book, released in 1999, was written by former New York Times reporter Lisa Belkin.
The series “explores notions of home, race and community through the lives of elected officials, bureaucrats, activists and ordinary citizens in Yonkers, NY,” according to an HBO announcement. 28 year old Nick Wasicsko, played by Oscar Isaac, is elected the major of Yonkers and must deal with the federal court order to build low-income housing in a predominantly white neighborhood during the 1980s.
Wasicsko fights to comply with the order against the wishes of the majority of the city council. “His attempt to do so tears the entire city apart, paralyzes the municipal government and, ultimately, destroys the mayor and his political future,” according to the HBO announcement.
Catherine Keener stars alongside Isaac as Mary Dorman, a Yonkers resident who comes to a realization over the fight for where to build the housing. Show Me A Hero also stars Alfred Molina, Winona Ryder, LaTanya Richardson-Jackson, Bob Balaban and Jim Belushi.
Executive producers of Show Me A Hero are Simon, Haggis, Nina K. Noble, Gail Mutrux and William F. Zorzi.