Aussie to star in new period drama by Kurt Sutter

Australian actor Lee Jones is set for US stardom as the lead role in Kurt Sutter’s upcoming period drama, The Bastard Executioner.

Sutter, creator of Sons of Anarchy, explores the story of a warrior knight in King Edward I’s charge who is broken by the ravages of war and vows to lay down his sword. When that violence finds him again, he is forced to pick up the bloodiest sword of all.

Lee Jones appeared briefly in Home and Away and 2009 and Nine’s kid’s series Magical Tales and will be joined by Stephen Moyer, Katey Sagal, Flora Spencer-Longhurst, Kurt Sutter and Sam Spruell plus Darren Evans, Danny Sapani, Timothy V. Murphy, Sarah White, Sarah Sweeney, Elen Rhys, Ethan Griffiths and guest star Matthew Rhys.

Sutter will also serve as executive producer, along with Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Paris Barclay, also Pilot director.

FX has ordered a ten episodes for the first season for its Fall schedule.

“From his important contributions to The Shield to his epic run on Sons of Anarchy, Kurt has been one of FX’s most visionary artists, and we are proud to get him back on the air so soon after the unquestionable success of Sons,” said John Landgraf, the CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions.

“The Bastard Executioner has lined up an extraordinary creative team, with Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo and Paris Barclay joining Kurt as executive producers and an amazing cast led by Katey Sagal, Stephen Moyer and Lee Jones in the signature role as the Executioner himself. We knew they could deliver something special and, under the expert direction of Paris, they did just that. The fans can’t wait for the first season, and neither can we.”

“Kurt Sutter and Brian Grazer have been spectacular creative partners—and dear friends—to our studio for years, and their collaboration has resulted in a fantastic and epic new series,” commented Fox Television Group Chairmen and CEOs, Gary Newman and Dana Walden, whose Fox 21 TV Studios will produce the project with FX Productions.

“The Bastard Executioner, written by Kurt and directed by the talented Paris Barclay, is dangerous, brilliant, emotional and undeniable. This is the perfect follow-up to Sons and another huge event series for FX from Fox 21 TVS and FXP. Viewers are in for a wild and spellbinding ride.”

Source: WorldScreen