‘Love Actually’ star joins Alfonso Cuarón’s Apple TV horror thriller
Bill Nighy, known for his roles in ‘Living’ and ‘About Time,’ is joining Caitríona Balfe in 'Ascension,' an upcoming psychological horror-thriller series for Apple TV. The project comes from filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and is co-showrun by Natalie Erika James and Christian White. Inspired by Adam Nevill’s novel ‘Last Days,’ the series follows a filmmaker investigating a mysterious 20th-century cult.
According to Deadline, 'Ascension' follows Rose, a relentless documentary filmmaker and recently divorced mother played by Balfe. Although she is skilled at uncovering the truth about other people, she struggles to resolve the uncertainties in her own life. Her circumstances change when she begins investigating the Church of Ascension, a mysterious 20th-century cult. As Rose explores its history and teachings, she finds an unexpected sense of refuge. However, that comfort begins to unravel when she discovers something far more sinister beneath the organization’s beliefs.
The one-hour psychological horror thriller examines the relationship between evil and innocence, while exploring how far people will go to protect those they love. Its central question is whether the desire to save someone can become dangerous when the greatest threat may come from within. Nighy will appear as a series regular as Zac, a documentarian who hires Rose for a new project.
Cuarón, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind 'Gravity' and 'Roma,' is part of the creative team developing the series. The project reunites him with a group of producers and writers working across film and television. The writing team includes James, White, Alfonso Cuarón and Carlos Cuarón. Executive producers include Gabriela Rodriguez and Richard Schwartz for Esperanto Filmoj; Alfonso and Carlos Cuarón; and Steve Golin, David Levine and Zack Hayden for Anonymous Content. James and White also serve as executive producers.
Nighy has built a celebrated career across film, television, and theatre. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ‘Living,' in which he played a British bureaucrat coming to terms with the restrictions in his life. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘Love Actually.’
His other films include ‘About Time,’ ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ and ‘Pride.' He also played Viktor in the ‘Underworld’ film series and Davy Jones in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest’ and ‘At World’s End.'
