Oscar nominee Jennifer Jason Leigh and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Hugo Weaving have been cast in Showtime’s upcoming limited series Patrick Melrose. The pair will star as the parents of Patrick Melrose. Weaving’s character is described as an abusive father figure, while Jason Leigh’s character reportedly condones her husband’s behavior. Showtime and Sky Atlantic made the announcement regarding the casting on Monday.
Patrick Melrose is based on the critically acclaimed series of the same name written by Edward St. Aubyn. The series will follow the titular character and his upper class acquaintances as he maneuvers through devastating childhood events that lead to his substance abuse as an adult. The series will eventually touch on the character’s recovery through the hilarious narration of his life. Each episode of Patrick Melrose will tell the story of one of the five novels included in the series. The series will cover multiple time periods and will take place in a variety of locations including the 1960’s in the South of France, the 1980’s in New York, and the early 2000’s in Britain.
Sherlock‘s Benedict Cumberbatch is set to star as Patrick Melrose, as well as executive produce the series. Utopia‘s Anna Madeley is confirmed to star as Melrose’s wife. One Day‘s David Nicholls will write all five episodes of the limited series. Deutchland 83’s Edward Berger is set to direct every episode. Michael Jackson and Emmy and Golden Globe winning producer Rachael Horovitz will serve as executive producers of the series.
Jennifer Jason Leigh made a name for herself in the 1982 coming-of-age film Fast Times at Ridgemont High as Stacy Hamilton. She has since appeared in many films including Miami Blues, Last Exit to Brooklyn, Backdraft, Single White Female, The Big Picture, and The Spectacular Now. She was nominated for a Golden Globe, Critic’s Choice, BAFTA, and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Daisy Domergue in 2015’s The Hateful Eight. She had a recurring role on Showtime’s Weeds as Jill Price-Gray from 2009-2012.
Hugo Weaving is known for his film roles as V in V for Vendetta, Agent Smith in The Matrix trilogy, Elrond in The Lord of the Rings film series and The Hobbit trilogy, and as Tom Doss in Hacksaw Ridge. His television appearances include Bodyline, Seven Deadly Sins, Bordertown, and Seven Types of Ambiguity.
Patrick Melrose will begin filming in the South of France and London starting in August.