Cast Biographies

21 July 2014

Michael Sheen plays Dr William Masters

Michael Sheen has proved himself equally accomplished on both stage and screen. His many award-winning stage performances include Caligula and Frost/Nixon at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre and Hamlet at the Young Vic. He created, co-directed and performed in the ground-breaking three-day live event The Passion in Port Talbot for National Theatre Wales.

Sheen has starred in three films nominated for the ‘Best Picture’ Academy Award®: The Queen, directed by Stephen Frears, Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard, and Midnight in Paris, directed by Woody Allen.

He is known to millions as a vampire in The Twilight Saga films and a werewolf in the Underworld franchise. His other feature credits include The Damned United, directed by Tom Hooper; Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; and TRON: Legacy, directed by Joseph Kosinski.

On British television, Sheen earned awards for his performances in both Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!, directed by Andy De Emmony, in which he played “Mr. Williams,” and Dirty Filthy Love, directed by Adrian Shergold. On the NBC series 30 Rock, he created the memorable characterization of Liz Lemon’s (Tina Fey) boyfriend “Wesley Snipes.” Most recently, he made an appearance in the IFC miniseries spoof The Spoils of Babylon, opposite Kristen Wiig.

He received an Emmy® Award nomination for his portrayal of “Tony Blair” in HBO’s The Special Relationship, directed by Richard Loncraine, and in 2009 he was honoured by the Queen with an OBE for his services to Drama.

Forthcoming feature film appearances include roles in Focus Features’ Kill the Messenger and Fox Searchlight’s Far From the Madding Crowd.

 

Lizzy Caplan plays Virginia Johnson

On the big screen, Lizzy Caplan can next be seen starring opposite James Franco and Seth Rogen in Columbia Pictures’ The Interview, directed by both Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Her additional film credits include Save the Date; Bachelorette; 3, 2, 1…Frankie Goes Boom; Queens of Country; Hot Tub Time Machine; J.J. Abrams’ sci-fi hit Cloverfield, My Best Friend’s Girl; Crossing Over; Love is the Drug; Crashing; The Last Rites of Ransom Pride; and her breakout role as “Janice Ian” in Mean Girls. She also produced and starred in the short film Successful Alcoholics, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Caplan’s television credits include the lead role of “Casey Klein” on the critically-acclaimed comedy Party Down, a show which earned an AFI Award in 2009 and was named one of Time magazine’s ‘Top 10 Shows of 2010,’ as well as roles on True Blood, The Class, for which she was named one of ‘10 Actors to Watch’ by Daily Variety, Related, Family Guy, American Dad!, Tru Calling,Undeclared and Judd Apatow’s cult classic Freaks and Geeks. Her recent guest star credits include roles on The League, Kroll Showand New Girl.

Most recently, Caplan was Emmy nominated in the ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series’ category for her role in Season 1 of Masters of Sex.

 

Caitlin Fitzgerald plays Libby Masters

Caitlin Fitzgerald is emerging as one of Hollywood’s most engaging and talented young actresses.

In film, FitzGerald will next be seen opposite Nick Kroll, Bobby Cannavale and Rose Byrne in director Ross Katz’ comedy Brother’s Keeper. She was last seen in the romantic drama Mutual Friends and is best known for her film roles in It’s Complicated, starring opposite John Krasinski and Meryl Streep. Other film credits include Whit Stillman’s Damsels in Distress, Taking Woodstock and Edward Burns’ Newlyweds and Fitzgerald Family Christmas.

FitzGerald’s additional television credits include: Gossip Girl, How to Make It in America, Mercy and Law & Order: SVU.

 

Teddy Sears plays Dr. Austin Langham

Teddy Sears has built a career across numerous hit television series with roles that consistently elevate his body of work. Sears most recently completed the film Curve, about a young woman who becomes trapped in her car after a hitchhiker causes her to have a car accident. Directed by Iain Softley, Curve also stars Julianne Hough, Madalyn Horcher and Drew Rausch.

Over the course of his career, Sears has appeared in a wide range of notable television series, including TNT's legal drama Raising the Bar, where he starred as “Richard Patrick Woolsley IV,” heir of a wealthy legal dynasty who turned upstanding public defender. More recently, Sears was seen starring in the first season of FX's acclaimed series American Horror Story, where he played “Patrick” opposite Zachary Quinto's character.

Sears has guest starred in a number of notable television shows such as AMC's Mad Men; HBO's Big Love; NBC's long running crime drama Law & Order; and the award-winning comedy series Ugly Betty. Beyond television, Sears starred alongside Colin Firth and Julianne Moore in the 2009 film A Single Man, which garnered praise from both critics and audiences.

 

Annaleigh Ashford plays Betty Moretti

Annaleigh Ashford was most recently seen on Broadway originating the role of “Lauren” in the Tony® Award winning show Kinky Boots, for which she received a Tony® Award nomination for ‘Best Featured Actress in a Musical,’ a Drama Desk Award nomination for ‘Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical’ and won the Clarence Derwent Award for ‘Most Promising Female Actress of 2013.’

Annaleigh starred on Broadway as “Glinda” in Wicked, originated the role of “Margot” in Legally Blonde: The Musical and played “Jeanie” in the Broadway revival of Hair. She was also “Marcy” in Dogfight at Second Stage and “Maureen” in Rent, for which she received nominations for the Drama League and Clive Barnes Award. Annaleigh had memorable scenes in the films Sex & The City and Rachel Getting Married and has done guest stars on Smash, Nurse Jackie and Law & Order.

 

Allison Janney plays Margaret Scully

Allison Janney has taken her place among a select group of actors who combine a leading lady’s profile with a character actor’s art of performance.

Currently starring alongside Anna Faris in the CBS/Chuck Lorre sitcom Mom, Janney’s latest feature work includes Jason Bateman’s directorial debut Bad Words, Trust Me for director/actor Clark Gregg and the Dreamworks animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Due to be released is Tammy, with Melissa McCarthy, Days and Nights, from Christian Camargo and The Rewrite, with Hugh Grant.

Janney previously appeared in The Way Way Back, with Steve Carell and Toni Collette; The Oranges, with Catherine Keener; Liberal Arts, with Josh Radnor and Struck By Lightning with Chris Colfer. She co-starred in the Academy Award® nominated film The Help, the cast of which won ‘Ensemble’ awards from the Screen Actors Guild®, National Board of Review and the Broadcast Film Critics Association.

Janney delighted audiences with outstanding performances in the Oscar® winning ensemble hit Juno and in the movie version of the Tony® Award winning play Hairspray. For her role in Todd Solondz’s film Life During Wartime, she was nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actress’ by the Spirit Awards. She also appeared in Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, the comedy Strangers with Candy and was heard as the voice of “Gladys” in Dreamworks’ animated film Over the Hedge, as well as “Peach” in Finding Nemo.

Janney received another Spirit Award nomination for her work in the independent feature Our Very Own, and starred opposite Meryl Streep in The Hours, which received a SAG Award® nomination for ‘Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture.’ Other feature credits include the Academy Award® winning film American Beauty, for which she won a SAG Award® for ‘Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture’, as well as Nurse Betty, How to Deal, Drop Dead Gorgeous, 10 Things I Hate About You, Primary Colors, The Ice Storm, Six Days Seven Nights, The Object of My Affection and Big Night.

Janney is renowned for her starring role in the acclaimed series The West Wing, where she won a remarkable four Emmy® Awards and four SAG Awards® for her portrayal of White House Press Secretary “C.J. Cregg.”

Most recently she has been Emmy nominated for ‘Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series’ for her role as Margaret Scully in Season One of Masters of Sex.

 

Beau Bridges plays Barton Scully

Beau Bridges is an award-winning actor who has portrayed a myriad of characters during a successful career spanning more than six decades. Bridges is a regular on CBS’s new comedy The Millers. On Broadway, he starred in the musical comedy hit, How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. He also appeared in Alexander Payne’s Golden Globe® winning and Academy Award® nominated film The Descendants.

With his daughter Emily, Beau adapted Richard Boleslavsky’s 1933 novel Acting: The First Six Lessons. The play was recently published by Samuel French and performed by Beau and Emily at Theatre West in Los Angeles, receiving rave reviews.

Bridges won a Grammy® Award for his shared narration of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth. In 2008, Brides lent his voice for a very special documentary entitled Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, which received a 2008 Academy Award® nomination for ‘Best Documentary Feature.’ He has been nominated 14 times for an Emmy®. Beau received a ‘Best Supporting Actor’ Emmy® Award for his work in HBO’s The Second Civil War. He won another Emmy® Award and a Golden Globe® Award for his supporting role opposite Holly Hunter in the HBO project The Positively True Adventures Of The Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom.

Bridges starred in the critically acclaimed HBO film Without Warning: The James Brady Story, for which he scored a trifecta, taking home all three of the ‘Best Actor’ Awards: the Emmy®, the Golden Globe®, and the CableACE. Beau has appeared in a number of highly acclaimed films including The Landlord, The Other Side of the Mountain, Norma Rae, Heart Like a Wheel, The Hotel New Hampshire, Sordid Lives and Jerry Maguire. He was honoured by the National Society of Film Critics when he was named ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for his role opposite his brother Jeff in The Fabulous Baker Boys.

He starred with his father, Lloyd, and his son, Dylan, in Sandkings, the two hour film that kicked off the long running SHOWTIME® series The Outer Limits. For his performance, Bridges received an Emmy® nomination for Best Actor.

Bridges has also directed films. In 1994, he directed his father, Lloyd, and his son, Jordan, in a movie-of-the-week titled Secret Sins of the Father. He also directed Jordan and his father in The Thanksgiving Promise, at the time the highest-rated Disney television film ever broadcast. His after-school special Don’t Touch was nominated for an Emmy®.

Most recently, Bridges was Emmy nominated for his role in Season One of Masters of Sex in the ‘Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

 

Julianne Nicholson plays Dr. Lillian DePaul

Following the release of John Wells’ August: Osage County, based on the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning play of the same name, Julianne Nicholson has completed production on the independent film Ten Thousand Saints, with directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini.

Nicholson also stars in Sundance TV's The Red Road, along with Jason Momoa and Martin Henderson and on Boardwalk Empire, in the role of “Esther Randolph.”

Independent film work has been a staple for Nicholson with leading roles in Hilary Birmingham’s Tully, opposite James Franco in Jay Anania’s Shadows & Lies, in Bill Condon’s Kinsey and alongside Ethan Hawke in Staten Island. She has also worked with international directors such as Peter Chan in The Love Letter, Alain Berliner in Passion of Mind and Nick Hurran in Little Black Book.

Her New York stage work includes a role she originated in Sam Shepard’s Heartless, Melissa James Gibson’s new play This and Rattlestick’s production of Adam Rapp’s The Hallway Trilogy.

 

Keke Palmer plays Coral

At the age of twenty, Keke Palmer has already established herself as one of the fastest rising young stars of her generation. Her talents span film, television and music alike. Keke recently made TV history by being tapped as the youngest person ever to host her own talk show. She also starred in the Flower Films horror/thriller Animal, directed by Brett Simmons and executive produced by Drew Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen.

Also in 2014, she can be seen in lead roles in the indie pictures Brotherly Love, produced by Queen Latifah, and Imperial Dreams, opposite John Boyega and directed by Malik Vitthal. Keke was most recently seen in a strong supporting role opposite Ms. Cicely Tyson, Blaire Underwood and Vanessa Williams in the television movie The Trip to Bountiful.

In addition to her acting, Keke has been hard at work in the music studio recording her next album. Currently working with three Grammy Award® winning producers, she will have two songs from soundtracks both to debut this summer as well as a single from her new album coming out later this year.

 

Courtney B. Vance plays Charles Hendricks

Courtney B. Vance won a Tony® Award for ‘Best Featured Actor in a Play’ for his performance in Lucky Guy. He has been seen on ABC’s Revenge and USA Network’s Graceland. Courtney received a Tony® nomination, the Theater World Award and the Clarence Derwent Award for his performance in Fences. He received his second Tony® nomination for Six Degrees of Separation and an Obie Award

for his work in My Children! My Africa!. Courtney has also starred in Temptation, Romeo and Juliet, His Girl Friday and The Front Page.

Courtney plays “Myles Dyson” in the upcoming Terminator: Genesis. His other film credits include Hamburger Hill, The Preacher’s Wife, Space Cowboys, The Adventures of Huck Finn, The Hunt for Red October, Cookie’s Fortune, The Last Supper, Hurricane Season, Extraordinary Measures, Final Destination 5 and The Divide.

His TV series and movie work includes Flash Forward, Twelve Angry Men, Blind Faith, The Piano Lesson, The Tuskegee Airmen, The Closer, ER and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Courtney and his wife Angela Bassett wrote the book Friends: A Love Story.

 

Sarah Silverman plays Helen

Emmy® winner Sarah Silbverman is the author of the 2010 New York Times bestseller The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption, and Pee. She can be seen in A Million Ways to Die in the West. Her HBO stand-up special We Are Miracles was released last year and has since been nominated for a 2014 American Comedy Award. She has also wrapped production on the drama feature, I Smile Back, a film adaption of a novel by Amy Koppelman in which she plays the lead role.

Silverman was nominated for a 2009 Primetime Emmy® and a WGA award for her work on The Sarah Silverman Program. In 2008, she won a Primetime Emmy® for her musical collaboration with Matt Damon and a Webby Award for her online video The Great Schlep.

Silverman released a concert film entitled Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic. Her other film credits include Wreck-It Ralph, Take This Waltz, The Aristocrats, Peep World, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, School of Rock, There’s Something About Mary and The Way of the Gun.

Silverman co-starred in the Fox comedy Greg the Bunny, and has guest starred on The Good Wife; Monk; The Larry Sanders Show; Seinfeld, Mr. Show with Bob and David and Crank Yankers.

Silverman was dubbed “the most outrageously funny woman alive,” by Rolling Stone.

 

Crew Credits

Michelle Ashford - Exec Producer/Showrunner

Sarah Timberman - Exec Producer

Carl Beverly - Exec Producer

Amy Lippman - Exec Producer

Judith Verno - Exec Producer