Take a first look at Jason Lee in TNT’s new original series, DELTA BLUES (working title), from George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon Television.
In DELTA BLUES, Lee plays Dwight Hendricks, a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother. His intimate connection with the city and its people sets him apart from his fellow officers. Woodard plays Lt. Tanya Rice, a demanding boss determined to keep Dwight on a short leash. Also starring in DELTA BLUES are Celia Weston (Junebug) as Dwight’s mother; Sam Hennings as Charlie White, aka Whitehead, his partner; Robyn Lively (Saving Grace) as Charlene, Dwight’s ex-wife; Leonard Earl Howze (Barbershop) as Reginald Greenback, a detective who works with Dwight and Whitehead; Abraham Benrubi (ER), a detective who uses Chickasaw tribal wisdom in his work; and DJ Qualls (My Name Is Earl) as Sutton, Dwight’s protégé.
TNT has ordered 10 episodes of Delta Blues and plans to premiere it in 2010. Read more at Source
TNT is aggressively stoking its original-series pipeline.
The cable network Thursday picked up to series all three of its pilots: the Steven Spielberg-produced alien-invasion drama starring Noah Wyle; the George Clooney-produced “Delta Blues,” starring Jason Lee; and “Rizzoli & Isles,” starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander.
The trio has received orders for 10 episodes, including the pilot. “Blues” and “Rizzoli” are targeted for launch this year; the untitled alien-invasion series, which requires a longer postproduction process because of special effects, will premiere in 2011.
The moves come on the heels of TNT renewing the freshman dramas “Men of a Certain Age,” “Dark Blue” and “Hawthorne” and picking up the NBC cop drama “Southland.”
TNT head of programming Michael Wright said he didn’t expect to pick up all three pilots in the current cycle to series, but “if it works and is going to improve the performance of the network, we thought let’s find a way to do it.”
The alien-invasion project, written by Robert Rodat from an idea he conceived with Spielberg, stars Wyle as the leader of a rag-tag group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Moon Bloodgood, Jessy Schram, Seychelle Gabriel and Maxim Knight co-star.
DreamWorks TV is producing the project, with Spielberg, Rodat, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank executive producing. Carl Franklin directed the pilot.
It marks TNT’s first foray into si-fi/adventure series.
“We want to challenge ourselves and our audience to expand our horizons while concentrating on what’s working for us — character-based, populist-themed dramas,” Wright said.
The hourlong “Blues,” from Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon, centers on Dwight Hendricks (Lee), a Memphis police officer who lives with his mother (Celia Weston) and moonlights as a musician.
The pilot, written by Liz Garcia and Joshua Harto and directed by Clark Johnson, co-starred Alfre Woodard, Abraham Benrubi and DJ Qualls. Clooney, Heslov, Garcia and Johnson are executive producers, with Henry Bronchtein and Abby Wolf-Weiss co-executive producing and Harto producing.
Based on Tess Gerritsen’s mystery novels, “Rizzoli,” from Warner Horizon, revolves around the crime-solving team of Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli (Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Alexander).
The cast of the crime procedural, written by Janet Tamaro, includes Lorraine Bracco and Bruce McGill. Tamaro is executive producing the series with Bill Haber. Michael M. Robin helmed the pilot.
While “Blues” and “Rizzoli” are compatible with TNT’s core lineup of original and off-network crime procedurals that run weeknights, the alien-invasion series might end up airing during the weekend, paired with the network’s telecasts of features in the same action-adventure genre.
Anna Kendrick stopped by the Ellen Degeneres Show and she opened up to Ellen about what it was like working simultaneously with George and Robert Pattinson, saying, “George gave me such a hard time about shooting Twilight. Whenever I came back, it was like, ‘Oh sorry, this isn’t the Twilight set. You’re not working with Mr. Handsome.’ He called Rob ‘Mr. Handsome.’” Anna even evidently upped the rivalry between her two leading men by bringing George a signed copy of Rob’s GQ. Robert Pattinson autographed his April GQ cover for George, writing, “To George: Best of Luck. Hang in there. Love, Rob.” To which Clooney returned the favor by signing his May 2009 Esquire cover to Rob with: “Dear Rob: Thanks for all the inspiration. I’m a huge fan. Love, George (two-time Sexiest Man Alive)”
Alfre Woodard is the latest addition to ‘Delta Blues,’ the TNT pilot executive produced by George Clooney. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that she will play a tough police lieutenant who attempts to exert her will over her subordinates, especially Dwight Hendricks (Jason Lee).
From Warner Horizon and Smokehouse, in conjunction with Clooney, ‘Delta Blues’ will follow the life of Dwight who spends his days on the force and nights as an Elvis impersonator. As recently reported, Jason Lee has accepted the role of Dwight, while Sam Hennings, Robyn Lively and Leonard Howze will play Dwight’s partner, ex-wife and co-worker, respectively. Celia Weston rounds off the cast as Dwight’s mother, with whom he lives.
Woodard is fresh off the canceled CBS medical drama, ‘Three Rivers,’ which premiered on CBS in October. She played Dr. Sophia Jordan, a famous heart surgeon.
Woodard is also known for her work as Lily Sloane on ‘Star Trek: First Contact,’ as well as ‘Hill Street Blues,’ ‘LA Law’ and ‘The Practice,’ among others. From 2005-06, she starred on ‘Desperate Housewives,’ for which she received an Emmy nomination. She has also won numerous Emmys, and received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in 1984 for the film ‘Cross Creek,’ based on a memoir by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
I’ve been sorting through the ER photos and have separated the promotional pictures into their own galleries. You can check them out at the links below.
and thanks to Josan I’ve added new promo pics to each season. Check out the galleries for more newbies.
and for kicks here’s the final season (15) episode where George did a guest appearance
‘Delta Blues’ centers on a cop who is an Elvis impersonator
TNT is singing the “Delta Blues,” greenlighting a drama pilot executive produced by George Clooney.
“Delta,” from Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures and Warner Horizon, was penned by Liz Garcia (“Cold Case”) and Josh Harto. It centers on an outstanding but unusual Memphis cop who moonlights as an Elvis impersonator and lives with his mother.
Clooney, Heslov, Garcia and Harto are executive producing. Smokehouse’s Abby Wolf-Weiss also is expected to receive a producing credit.
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