William Jackson Harper Joins MGM+ Series ‘American Hostage’
EXCLUSIVE: William Jackson Harper (The Good Place, Love Life) is set as a lead opposite Jon Hamm and Mireille Enos in MGM+‘s anthology series American Hostage, co-created and executive produced by Shawn Ryan and Eileen Myers.
Set in the 1970s, the eight-episode first installment is a psychological thriller based on the first season of the scripted podcast of the same name with Hamm reprising the role he voiced on the podcast. It tells the true story of Fred Heckman (Hamm), an Indianapolis radio reporter who is thrust into the middle of a life-or-death crisis when hostage-taker Tony Kiritsis demands to be interviewed on his popular program.
Harper will play the series regular role of Ben Hairston. Respected and liked, good at his job, clever. Ben is Fred’s (Hamm) mentee at WIBC news. After being a newspaper reporter, he has finally found his work family at WIBC radio. This is a place where he is seen as a reporter’s reporter who isn’t afraid to raise the hard questions. Through the course of the series, as Fred becomes more and more compromised in his role as a negotiator, Ben must intercede and decide whether he should dethrone his mentor in the name of journalistic integrity.
Enos plays Fred’s wife, Barbara.
In addition to starring, Hamm executive produces alongside Ryan, Myers, Connie Tavel, Sharon Hoffman and Ryan’s MiddKid Productions partner, Marney Hochman. Shawn Christensen and Gabriel Mason of Criminal Content, the company behind the American Hostage podcast, also serve as executive producers. Sony Pictures Television is the studio. Filming is slated to start in Winnipeg, Canada this fall.
Best known for his roles on NBC’s The Good Place, which earned him an Emmy nomination, and headlining Season 2 of HBO Max’s Love Life, Jackson recently starred opposite Jeff Daniels in the Netflix limited series A Man In Full and on Broadway in Uncle Vanya, landing a Tony nomination. He will next be seen on Season 4 of Apple’s The Morning Show in a major recurring role. Harper is repped by UTA, AC Management and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
