Vanessa Redgrave to Star in ABC Limited Series ‘The Black Box’

Vanessa Redgrave is headed to ABC.

Following lengthy negotiations, the Academy Award winner (Julia) has been tapped to headline the network’s limited series The Black Box, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

The series revolves around Elizabeth Black (Sherlock Holmes’ Kelly Reilly), a famed neuroscientist who seems to have it all but struggles with mental illness — one of many secrets she keeps from her fiancé and  her family.

Redgrave, who is a six-time Oscar nominee, will play Dr. Hartramph, Elizabeth’s psychiatrist. The doc is the only one who knows all of Elizabeth’s secrets.

For Redgrave, the part comes after her starring role in PBS’ Call the Midwife, her guest turn in USA Network’s Political Animals, and recurring work on FX’s Nip/Tuck. On the big screen, Redgrave’s most recent credits include Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Letters to Juliet and voice work in Cars 2. She’s repped by CAA and Gavin Barker Associates in the U.K.

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The Black Box was written by Amy Holden Jones(Mystic Pizza, Indecent Proposal), with Simon Curtis (My Week With Marilyn) on board to direct. The drama will be executive produced by Anne Thomopoulos, Bryan Singer, Ilene Chaiken and Oly Obst, with Chaiken (The L Word) set to serve as showrunner.

ABC picked up Black Box straight to series with a 13-episode order in June. The drama marks the first small-screen foray for independent production company Bold Films (Legion, Drive, Only God Forgives), with Sierra Engine tackling international distribution. WME packaged the deal and presold it internationally before the project was scooped up by ABC.

A premiere date has not yet been determined, though the project is being eyed for a January bow contingent on how ABC’s freshman class fares.

E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit