Mary McDonnell Joins Justin Hartley In CBS Drama Pilot ‘The Never Game’

EXCLUSIVE: Mary McDonnell, a two-time Oscar and two-time Emmy nominee, has been tapped as a lead opposite Justin Hartley in CBS drama pilot The Never Game, an adaptation of Jeffery Deaver’s novel, from director Ken Olin and 20th Television.

Written by Ben Winters, based on Deaver’s novel, The Never Game follows the adventures of Colter Shaw (Hartley), who was raised by his paranoid survivalist father to be an expert tracker, and who now makes his living as “rewardist,” traveling America in his Airstream trailer, helping families recover their lost loved ones and their other most precious things—all while staying one step ahead of the memories that haunt him, and the unanswered questions from his past.

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McDonnell will play Mary Dove Shaw, Colter’s (Hartley) solid, strong, and uncompromising mother, who raised her three children on the remote California compound where her husband took them before his mysterious death. She still lives there, self-reliant and upright, the emotional center of Colter’s restless life—and the key to the secrets of his past.

This marks McDonnell’s first series regular role since her starring turn on TNT’s Major Crimes.

Hartley, Winters and Olin executive produce. Julianna LaRosa and Roxy Olin serve as co-executive producers. Ken Olin directs the pilot. 20th Television is the studio.

McDonnell is best known for her Oscar nominated performances in Dances With Wolves and Passion Fish, as well as her role as President Laura Roslin in the Peabody-winning Battlestar Galactica. She earned two Emmy nominations for her portrayals as Captain Sharon Raydor in TNT’s The Closer and as Eleanor Carter in NBC’s ER. She’ll next be seen in Mike Flanagan’s Netflix limited series The Fall of the House of Usher. McDonnell is repped by Innovative Artists, Anonymous Content and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

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