‘Shameless’ Alum Steve Howey to Star in ‘True Lies’ Pilot at CBS (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson
·2 min read
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Steve Howey has been cast in one of the lead roles in the CBS drama pilot based on the movie “True Lies,” Variety has learned exclusively.

Howey will star as Harry, the role played in the film by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The character is described as a benign, play-it-safe, seemingly risk-averse computer salesman and devoted family man, married with two kids. But in reality, Harry is an undercover operative, a first-class spy working for a covert U.S. Intelligence organization.

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Like the film, Harry’s unfulfilled suburban wife is propelled into a life of danger and adventure when she’s recruited to work alongside him to save the world as they try to revitalize their passionless marriage. The wife role, which was played by Jamie Lee Curtis in the film, has yet to be cast.

Howey most recently starred in the hit Showtime series “Shameless,” playing the role of Kevin throughout the show’s 11-season run on the premium cabler. He is also known for starring in the mutli-cam sitcom “Reba.” He has also starred in films like “Stuber,” “Supercross,” “DOA: Dead or Alive,” “Bride Wars,” and the upcoming feature “Day Shift.”

He is repped by UTA and Thruline.

“True Lies” was originally ordered to pilot at CBS back in February, but the network announced they were moving it off-cycle in March.

“Burn Notice” creator Matt Nix is writing the pilot and executive producing via Flying Glass of Milk Productions. Anthony Hemingway will direct the pilot and executive produce via Anthony Hemingway Productions. James Cameron, the director of the original film, will executive produce through Lightstorm Entertainment alongside Rae Sanchini. McG, Mary Viola and Corey Marsh of Wonderland Sound and Vision and Josh Levy of Flying Glass of Milk will executive produce, with Sean Hoagland and Whitney Davis of Anthony Hemingway Productions co-executive producing. 20th Television is the studio behind the series.

This is the second attempt to adapt “True Lies” into a series. Fox previously gave a series version of the project a put pilot commitment back in 2017. The “True Lies” film was released in 1994 and starred Schwarzenegger, Curtis, Tom Arnold, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Art Malik, Eliza Dushku, and Grant Heslov. It was a box office success, grossing over $378 million worldwide.

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