Naomie Harris and Jimmi Simpson have been cast in Showtime’s The Man Who Fell to Earth TV series, according to Variety and Deadline. Harris and Simpson will appear alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was previously announced as the show’s lead.
Harris will play Justin Falls, an engineer and scientist, and Simpson will play CIA agent Spencer Clay in the series based on Walter Tevis’ 1963 novel and director Nicholas Roeg’s (Don’t Look Now, The Witches) 1976 film that starred David Bowie. The show follows 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, according to the press release.
“To be working with an actor of Naomie’s caliber is an absolute dream,” said co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet and Alex Hlavin via Variety. “Her strength, her complexity and her bold artistic choices are an inspiration. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her on board.”
Harris is best known for her role in Moonlight, for which she received best supporting actress Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations. She will appear in the upcoming feature Swan Song with Moonlight co-star Mahershala Ali. Her other credits include Southpaw, The Pirates of the Caribbean and 28 Days Later.
Simpson recently appeared in Perpetual Grace, LTD on Epix, playing opposite Ben Kingsley and Jacki Weaver. He earned an Emmy nomination for his appearance in Westworld.
The Man Who Fell to Earth is scheduled to begin production in London this April and premiere exclusively on Showtime in 2022. The show was previously announced to be released on Paramount+ but was later moved to Showtime by parent company ViacomCBS.