Uma Thurman has been cast to play The Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington in Season 1 of Showtime anthology series “Super Pumped,” which will be about the taxi-cab replacement company Uber.
Huffington was an Uber board member.
Based on Mike Isaac’s book “Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber,” the first season will “depict the roller-coaster ride of the upstart transportation company, embodying the highs and lows of Silicon Valley,” according to Showtime’s description. “Even amid the radical upheaval generated within the global tech capital, Uber stands out as both a marvel and a cautionary tale, featuring internal and external battles that ripple with unpredictable consequences.”
As previously announced, Joseph Gordon-Levitt will play Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick. Kyle Chandler will play Texas venture capitalist Bill Gurley, who was Kalanick’s mentor. Kerry Bishé will star as Austin Geidt, Uber employee No. 4.
“We’ve been eager to work with Uma Thurman for a long time, and we’re thrilled to have found the perfect role for her in Arianna Huffington – a role to which Uma will lend her innate complexity, intelligence and magnetism,” Amy Israel, Showtime’s executive vice president of scripted programming, said in a statement on Tuesday. “Uma, Joseph, Kyle and our incredible ensemble will undoubtedly bring this propulsive, culture defining and wildly entertaining story of ‘Super Pumped’ to life. We can’t wait for the world to see it.”
The project was initially put into development as a limited series, but has since been re-conceived as an anthology. Future seasons will each center on a different story that “rocked the business world to its core and changed culture,” per Showtime.
Beth Schacter serves as co-writer, co-showrunner and executive producer on “Super Pumped” along with Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Paul Schiff, Allyce Ozarski and Stephen Schiff also executive produce. Isaac is co-executive producer.
Variety first reported on Thurman’s casting.