After overseeing a handful of unscripted projects at Netflix, Barack and Michelle Obama are pushing forward with their first scripted drama “Bodkin,” which will star “SNL” alum Will Forte, the streamer announced Friday.
The series hails from the Obama’s production company Higher Ground and independent studio wiip.
The dark comedic thriller, created by Jez Scharf (“Mister Biscuits”) and co-showrun by Scharf and Alex Metcalf (“Sharp Objects”), follows a motley crew of podcasters who set out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in an idyllic, coastal Irish town. Once they start pulling at threads, they discover a story much bigger and weirder than they could have imagined.
“We are ecstatic to partner with wiip for this wickedly wry thriller which questions truth, narrative, and the very purpose of each,” said Higher Ground Head of Film and Television, Tonia Davis. “This entire creative team – Jez, Alex, Nash, and the phenomenal cast led by Will Forte and Siobhan Cullen – will bring to life something very special and we can’t wait to share it with audiences around the world.”
“Bodkin,” a working title, will start production in Ireland next week. Joining Forte in the cast is Siobhan Cullen (“The Dry”), Robyn Cara (“Trying”), David Wilmot (“Station Eleven”), and Chris Walley (“The Last Voyage of the Demeter”).
Forte will star as Gilbert: an American podcaster on the hunt for his next big story. Originally from Chicago, Gilbert’s family emigrated from Cork, and is hoping to discover his Irish roots.
Cullen plays Dove: Originally from Dublin, Dove is a truth-seeking missile, a hard-nosed investigative journalist with a fine-tuned bullshit detector and a healthy disdain for authority and hypocrisy.
Cara will star as Emmy: Bright, funny and eager to please, a researcher and has been helping Gilbert organize this podcast.
The Obamas will executive produce alongside Davis and wiip’s David Flynn and Paul Lee. Nash Edgerton will serve as lead director. Higher Ground Productions previously delivered Netflix the Academy Award-winning documentary feature “American Factory,” the Oscar-nominated documentary feature “Crip Camp,” and the Kevin Hart dramedy “Fatherhood.”