CBS’ Halle Berry Drama ‘Extant’ Recruits ‘Newsroom’ Actress

CBS’ Extant is filling out its cast.

Grace Gummer, who recurred on HBO’s The Newsroom, has joined the the Steven Spielberg-produced summer drama series, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

Extant is a futuristic thriller about a female astronaut, Molly (Berry), trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space. The character’s experiences lead to events that ultimately change the course of human history.

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Gummer will play Julie, one of John’s (Goran Visnjic) principal partners in building the robot prototypes like Ethan (Looper‘s Pierce Gagnon), John and Molly’s son.

She joins a cast that also includes Camryn Manheim, playing Molly’s best friend, and Dallas Buyers Club‘s Michael O’Neill, as director of the privatized space program.

Spielberg, along with Greg Walker and Mickey Fisher, who penned the script for the CBS Television Studios and Amblin Television effort, will executive produce the series with Brooklyn Weaver, Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. Berry will co-exec produce.

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CBS Television Distribution will handle domestic distribution, while CBS Studios International will handle worldwide rights.

Gummer, one of Meryl Streep‘s daughters, has appeared in American Horror Story, Zero Hour, Smash, Nickelodeon’s Gigantic and the Independent Spirit Award-nominated film Frances Ha. Repped by CAA and Anonymous Content, she recently wrapped indie Jenny’s Wedding opposite Katherine Heigl and Tom Wilkinson.

Extant premieres July 2 at 9 p.m. on CBS.

Email: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
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