X-FILES Star Gillian Anderson Joins Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS on Starz
X-Files star Gillian Anderson is the latest actress to join the cast of Starz’ highly anticipated series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.
Variety reports that Anderson will take on the role of the character Media, “the mouthpiece for the New Gods, functioning as their public face and sales representative, by taking the form of various iconic celebrities.” The report goes on to explain that “she lives off the attention and worship that people give to screens — to their laptops, their TVs, to their iPhones in their hands while they watch their TVs. Ever the perky spokesperson, and always in control, she spins stories in whatever direction best suits her.”
Anderson is going to be awesome in this role! It’s definitely inspired casting! The series will reunite her with producer Bryan Fuller, who most recently worked with her on NBC’s Hannibal.
The story for American Gods focuses on "a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle), is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane), a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities."
Anderson will join the previously cast Emily Browning as Shadow’s wife Laura, Sean Harris as leprechaun Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki as love goddess Bilquis, Bruce Langley as petulant god Technology Boy, Jonathan Tucker as Low-Key Lyesmith, and Crispin Glover as Mr. World.
David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night) is directing the pilot episode as well as some additional episodes in the series. The show is set t premiere sometime in 2017.