David Simon is teaming up with HBO again — and he’s bringing a couple of high-profile friends with him.
“The Wire” and “Treme” boss Simon is working on a new miniseries, “Show Me a Hero,” for the premium cable network, with a cast that includes “Star Wars: Episode VII” actor Oscar Isaac and “Captain Phillips” actress Catherine Keener.
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The six-hour miniseries, which is based on the Lisa Belkin book of the same title, revolves around a young mayor of a mid-sized American city who’s faced with a federal court order that says he must build a small number of low-income housing units in the white neighborhoods of his town. His attempt to do so tears the entire city apart, paralyzes the entire municipal government and, ultimately, destroys the mayor and his political future. “Show Me a Hero” will explore notions of home, race and community through the lives of elected officials, bureaucrats, activists and ordinary citizens in Yonkers, N.Y.
Isaac will play Nick Wasicsko, the young mayor who finds himself thrust into the center of a racial controversy.
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Keener has been cast as Mary Dorman, an East Yonkers homeowner who comes to a remarkable realization during the battle over where to build low-income housing.
Simon and his “Wire” cohort William F. Zorzi are writing and and executive producing. Paul Haggis (“Crash”) will direct the miniseries, and is also executive producing.
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Nina Noble and Gail Mutrux are also executive producing “Show Me a Hero,” which is a Blown Deadline production.