‘Heels’: David James Elliott & Joel Murray To Recur In Starz’s Wrestling Drama Series

EXCLUSIVE: Jag alum David James Elliott and Joel Murray (Mad Men) are set for recurring roles opposite Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig in Heels, Starz’s eight-episode hourlong drama set in the outrageous world of independent professional wrestling.

Written by Michael Waldron, with Mike O’Malley as showrunner, Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small-town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy (Ludwig) and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel (Amell). But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

Elliott will play Tom Spade, a former wrestler and proprietor of the Duffy Wrestling League (DWL). He’s the father of Jack and Ace, husband to Carol, and a devoted entrepreneur who built a business that provided opportunities for countless aspiring wrestlers from all over the country.

Murray will portray Eddie Earl, a local proprietor and sponsor to the Duffy Wrestling League (DWL), and one of the most successful and determined men in town.

Heels is produced by Lionsgate TV in association with Paramount TV Studios. Along with Waldron and O’Malley, Peter Segal, LBI Entertainment’s Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley serve as executive producers.

Elliott is known for his portrayal of Commander Harmon Rabb Jr during a 10-year run on legal drama Jag. He recently wrapped a lead alongside Harvey Keitel and Sam Worthington in Lansky, as well as a lead alongside Michael Shannon and Alexander Ludwig in the indie film Swing. He also worked on Spinning Out and can be seen in Doug Liman’s new series, Impulse. He’s repped by Gersh and LINK Entertainment.

Murray, a veteran of more than 250 sitcom episodes, has been a series regular on the comedies Grand, Pacific Station, Love and War, Dharma and Greg and Still Standing. He has also recurred on the series Mike and Molly, My Boys and Two and a Half Men. On the dramatic side, Murray played Freddy Rumsen on Mad Men as well as Eddie Jackson on Shameless. He’s repped by AKA Talent Agency.

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