IFC’s “The Spoils Before Dying” would be hard-pressed to squeeze any more talent into its cast.
Kristen Wiig and Haley Joel Osment are returning from original series “The Spoils of Babylon,” the cable channel said on Tuesday. Maya Rudolph will join them on the six-part comedic miniseries.
Also coming back in new roles are Michael Sheen, Val Kilmer, Steve Tom and Marc Evan Jackson. New cast members include Kate McKinnon, Tim Meadows, Chris Parnell, Emily Ratajkowski, Andrew Daly, Chris Mulkey, Chin Han, Jack Kilmer, Patty Guggenheim and Berenice Marlohe.
As previously reported, Michael Kenneth Williams will play struggling jazz pianist Rock Banyon; Will Ferrell is set to return as boozehound author Eric Jonrosh.
“We couldn’t have asked for a more talented cast to usher in the sophomore season of this miniseries,” said Jennifer Caserta, IFC’s president. “We’re also thrilled to have so many of last year’s Spoils cast members returning for Jonrosh’s latest adaption, particularly Kristen Wiig who received an Emmy nomination for her hilariously epic performance.”
Set in 1962 during the height of the Los Angeles jazz scene, “The Spoils Before Dying” follows Rock (Williams) as he becomes the prime suspect in the double murder of singer and his occasional lover Fresno Foxglove (Rudolph) who is found dead in a car with another man. Panicked, Rock splits town for Mexico where he reunites with his one-time big band singer Delores O’Dell (Wiig). Determined to prove his innocence and avoid the electric chair, Rock and Delores head back to the U.S. on a dangerous journey for the elusive truth. All the while, Rock’s hard charging manager Alistair St. Barnaby (Osment) obliviously pressures Rock to record a mainstream jazz album.
“The Spoils Before Dying” is produced by Funny Or Die and executive produced by Ferrell, Adam McKay, Matt Piedmont, Andrew Steele and Nate Young. Steele and Piedmont return as writers, with Piedmont also directing.