Harsh Vardhan
Netflix is rounding out the cast of the re-telling of U.S. President James Garfield’s assassination! Shea Whigham and Bradley Whitford have joined the historical drama ‘Death by Lightning.’ The series is set to start filming in Budapest, Hungary, in July. Mike Makowsky created the project based on Candice Millard’s book ‘Destiny of the Republic,’ with ‘Game of Thrones’ creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss on board as executive producers. Whigham and Whitford will star alongside Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman, and Betty Gilpin. Matt Ross is the director.
‘Death by Lightning’ is a historical drama series that vividly portrays the extraordinary true story of James Garfield, the reluctant 20th President of the United States, and his most fervent admirer, Charles Guiteau—the man who ultimately assassinated him.
Garfield, who had served nine terms as a Congressman, became the POTUS in 1881 despite not actively seeking the office. He was also elected as a senator but chose to decline this role in favor of the presidency. Tragically, later that year, he was shot by Charles Guiteau, a man who believed he was instrumental in Garfield’s election. The president endured months of agony before he succumbed to his injuries in September 1881. Guiteau, claiming temporary insanity, was ultimately sentenced to death and executed the following year.
Macfadyen (‘Succession‘) takes on the role of Charles Guiteau, while Shannon (‘Man of Steel’) will embody President James Garfield. Gilpin (‘GLOW’) will portray Crete Garfield, the First Lady. Offerman (‘Parks and Recreation’) will play Chester A. Arthur, Garfield’s vice president and eventual successor. The roles of Whigham and Whitford in the series have not been disclosed yet.
Whigham recently appeared in Paramount+’s ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves‘ as George Reeves. He also starred as Briggs in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One‘ and Pete Strickland in the historical drama ‘Perry Mason.’ Whitford was last seen as Anton in ‘Parish,’ a series about a taxi driver entangled with a Zimbabwean gangster exploiting undocumented immigrants at U.S. southern ports. In the comedy film ‘I’ll Be Right There,’ the actor played Henry. His other notable credits include ‘The Handmaid’s Tale‘ and ‘Rosaline.’
Makowsky is known for writing Hugh Jackman’s ‘Bad Education,’ which delves into the unfolding of the single largest public school embezzlement scandal in American history, with the beloved superintendent of New York’s Roslyn school district and his circle of associates becoming prime suspects. He also contributed to the script of ‘I Think We’re Alone Now,’ starring Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning.
Budapest is a renowned filming location when it comes to historical narratives. Popular projects such as Netflix’s ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ and Prime Video’s ‘Hunters‘ previously utilized the city as their backdrop.
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