Netflix Drama ‘Messiah’ Casts Michelle Monaghan in Lead Role
Michelle Monaghan has joined the upcoming Netflix series “Messiah” in a lead role, Variety has confirmed.
The 10-episode series chronicles the world’s reaction to a man (Mehdi Dehbi) who emerges from the Middle East creating a groundswell of followers who claim he is sent from God. Other people question whether he is what they say he is or rather a dangerous fraud bent on dismantling the world’s geopolitical order, causing civil havoc as he beguiles the world’s media and its audience. The series is told from multiple viewpoints, including a US Intelligence agent, a Palestinian refugee, an Israeli Shin Bet officer, and a Latino preacher and his daughter.
Monaghan will play Eva Geller, a highly specialized US intelligence officer who pits her wits and years of experience against Al-Masih (Dehbi). The character is described as whip smart, tenacious and determined to prove she is right, Eva literally goes to the ends of the earth to prosecute this allusive figure while running headlong into the truth about her own moral convictions.
Monaghan most recently starred in the Hulu drama “The Path.” Her other TV credits include “True Detective” and “Boston Public.” Her film credits include “Patriot’s Day,” “Gone Baby Gone,” and the “Mission Impossible” franchise.
She is repped by ICM and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
Netflix ordered “Messiah” to series in November. It was created by writer Michael Petroni who brought the project to Netflix with Mark Burnett. Both men will executive produce along with Roma Downey, Andrew Deane, and James McTeigue. McTeigue is also set to direct.
This is the latest religion-based project for Burnett and Downey. The husband and wife team previously collaborated on the History miniseries “The Bible,” the TV movie “Women of the Bible” at Lifetime, “A.D. The Bible Continues” on NBC, and “The Dovekeepers” at CBS, among others. Burnett is also well known for producing reality TV hits such as “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” and “Shark Tank.”
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