Atwood’s Alias Grace heads to TV
Sarah Polley’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel Alias Grace will debut on CBC-TV on Sept. 25.
The show, which will also stream outside of Canada on Netflix in the fall, is inspired by the true story of Grace Marks, a young Irish immigrant and maid who was convicted of murder in Upper Canada in 1843 but exonerated decades later.
Polley wrote and produced the project, based on Atwood’s 1996 Scotiabank Giller Prize-winning historical tale.
Mary Harron directs the cast, which includes Sarah Gadon in the title role. Other cast members include Anna Paquin, Paul Gross and Kerr Logan.
It’s yet another major smallscreen adaptation of Atwood’s work this year, after the recent premieres of The Handmaid’s Tale on Bravo and Hulu, and Wandering Wenda on CBC-TV.
Arrested Development renewed
Netflix says the cast of Arrested
Development has signed on for a fifth season of the comedy that will return to the streaming service next year.
Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett and the rest of the series regulars will reprise their roles in the show that follows the Bluth family. Series creator Mitchell Hurwitz is also on board.
Hurwitz says he’s “grateful” to Netflix and Fox “for making this dream of mine come true.”
Arrested Development ran on Fox for three seasons from 2003 to 2006 before being cancelled. Netflix brought the show back for a fourth season in 2013.
Moynihan out at SNL
It’s official — Bobby Moynihan is leaving Saturday Night Live. His nine-season run on the series will end with Saturday’s season finale, hosted by Dwayne Johnson. Katy Perry is the musical guest.
Moynihan’s next gig is on CBS, starring in the new fall comedy
Me, Myself & I, which follows a man named Alex through three time periods in his life. Moynihan plays the 40-year-old version of Alex; John Larroquette co-stars as the 65-yearold Alex.
Moynihan’s memorable impressions include New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Food Network personality Guy Fieri and Jersey Shore star Nicole Polizzi (a.k.a. Snooki), along with the Weekend Update staple character Drunk Uncle.
Quaid to play Bush
Dennis Quaid will play former U.S. president George W. Bush in FX’s Katrina: American Crime Story.
The second season of the Emmywinning true-crime anthology will chronicle Hurricane Katrina’s devastation of New Orleans in 2005, as well as the controversial handling of the aftermath by Bush’s administration.
The first season of the show, from creator Ryan Murphy, was dubbed The People v. O.J. Simpson and focused on O.J. Simpson’s 1995 murder trial.
Stars Courtney B. Vance, Sarah Paulson and Cuba Gooding Jr. are all expected to return for Katrina. Annette Bening will play Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, and Matthew Broderick will be FEMA head Michael Brown.