Rob Lowe (WME, Brillstein) will star as a prosecutor in the Lifetime telefilm "Prosecuting Casey Anthony." The network also has set a biopic of June Carter Cash starring Jewel (CAA, B.A.D., Myman Greenspan) playing opposite Matt Ross (ICM, Framework) as Johnny Cash.
Rob Lowe is getting nostalgic.
The former “Brat Pack” actor has signed on to narrate the National Geographic Channel’s upcoming miniseries, The ‘80s: The Decade That Made Us. The six-part event series will roll out over three consecutive nights beginning April 14.
Billed as the defining biography of a generation, The ‘80s will look back on the decisions, people and inventions that ultimately changed the culture, told from the perspective of the unknowing history makers who experienced them.
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To hear Nat Geo’s executive vp programming Michael Cascio tell it, Lowe was the network’s first and only choice for the long-gestating project. Not only does the Emmy-nominated actor have a good voice for narration, but also he is representative of the ’80s and the decades since.
“Rob was iconic in the 1980s, but more importantly, he is even more well known now because of The West Wing, Brothers & Sisters and Parks and Recreation,” Cascio tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So in a way, Rob Lowe represents the best of this particular project in that he can reflect knowingly on the 1980s because he was part of it, but also he is part of our contemporary culture and that’s what this series is all about. It’s not just a look back into the past, it’s really a look at how the past has shaped our contemporary life.”
Said Lowe: “National Geographic Channel is a leader in creating engaging and relevant programs that viewers can trust. This series is a unique and provocative look back at one of the most exciting and revolutionary periods in American history.”
The ’80s, which is being produced by Nutopia, is expected to air in 171 countries and in 38 languages throughout the spring. Nutopia’s Jane Root and Bruce Hepton will join Nat Geo’s Cascio, Brooke Runnette, Lynn Sadofsky and president Howard Owens as executive producers on the DirecTV-sponsored effort.
Lowe, whose recent credits include NBC’s comedy darling Park and Recreation, Lifetime TV movie Prosecuting Casey Anthony and HBO’s upcoming Liberace telepic Behind the Candelabra, is repped by WME, Brillstein and O’Melveny & Myers.
Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose
