Fox spy series Deep State casts Game of Thrones actor Joe Dempsie to co-star with Mark Strong.
Deep State, an upcoming espionage-centric event series representing the first regional scripted commission from Fox Networks in Europe and Africa, has already kicked off production in Morocco with star Mark Strong. However, the project continues to build an interesting cast, notably with the latest acquisition in Game of Thrones actor Joe Dempsie.
Joe Dempsie will co-star in Deep State as Harry Clarke, a secret agent described as "gifted," who seems to be set back in the pragmatic profession by his rigid moral compass. He is joined by another cast newcomer in Belgian actress Lyne Renée (Split, Mercy Street), who has been cast as a thus far unnamed character, an emergency room doctor whose normal life becomes upended as the second wife of Mark Strong's revenge-seeking protagonist.
Dempsie is best known from his role on Game of Thrones as Gendry, the on-the-run royal bastard to the late king Robert Baratheon and friend to Arya Stark; a role that has been left in a state of flux since his last appearance in the 2013 Season 3 finale, last seen – in a meme-inspiring moment – secretly rowing away from the captivity of his uncle Stannis and the witch Melisandre, avoiding a sacrificial fate. Dempsie, previously a veteran of the U.K. teen drama Skins, has since been seen in miniseries such as Southcliffe, New Worlds, One of Us and the 2016 U.K. dramedy film Burn Burn Burn. Interestingly, long-lens-wielding pap spies spotted him on the Game of Thrones set last fall, implying his return as Gendry in this summer’s Season 7.
Deep State will be an eight-episode, hour-long drama. Mark Strong will star as ex-spy Max Easton, who, after the tragic death of his son, jumps back into the espionage game seeking vengeance. Max, internally conflicted with the hardened person he used to be, is thrust into a clandestine covert intelligence war across Britain, France, the U.S., Iran and Lebanon, battling an international conspiracy in which shadowy schemers are attempting to reap profits by manipulating Middle East chaos. He will be joined by an “uncompromising” partner in elite intelligence operative Leyla Toumi, played by Vikings actress Karima McAdams.
Strong, an Olivier Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated actor, has appeared in films such as 2014’s The Imitation Game and 2011’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and took a stab at action-comedy in 2016’s The Brothers Grimsby. He’s tackled comic book movie roles in 2010’s Kick-Ass and his portrayal of would-be big bad Sinestro in 2011’s notorious Ryan Reynold-starring Green Lantern is widely seen as the lone highlight of the film. Auspiciously, Strong will also reprise his role from the 2014 dark horse hit Kingsman: The Secret Service in this fall’s sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Moreover, he’s no stranger to television, having starred in AMC’s 2013 police drama Low Winter Sun. Strong lauds the Deep State script, stating:
"Every now and again a script comes along that you just can’t put down and Deep State is exactly that — a great example of the best kind of writing."
Deep State, written showrunner Mathew Parkhill (Rogue) along with Steve Thompson (Doctor Who, Sherlock) and Simon Maxwell (American Odyssey), will come to the table with a duo of directors spread across its eight-episode run. Episodes 1-4 will be directed by Robert Connolly (The Slap, Paper Planes), at which point writer/showrunner Parkhill himself assumes the director’s chair for Episodes 5-8. Fox Networks Group Europe & Africa senior vice-president Jeff Ford conveys the breadth of the project and its reach to over 50 countries, stating: "The sheer scale and ambition of this project is a testament of things to come, as we strive to produce quality, premium programming for a global audience."
Deep State is currently shooting in Morocco, leading to an eventual worldwide premiere slated for a Fox television network.