Jane Lynch To Play Janet Reno In Discovery Channel’s Unabomber Drama ‘Manifesto’; Lynn Collins & Jeremy Bobb Also Cast
Jane Lynch has been tapped to play former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in Discovery Channel’s upcoming FBI crime-drama Manifesto, from Lionsgate and Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti’s Trigger Street Productions. The Knick alum Jeremy Bobb and Lynn Collins (John Carter) also have been cast in key roles.
The series tells the story of how the FBI brought down Unabomber Ted Kaczynski (Paul Bettany), one of the most infamous criminal masterminds in the world. Production begins January 30 in Atlanta with premiere set later this year.
Lynch’s Reno was the first woman to serve as Attorney General, a true public servant and a woman of great character and resolve. Every major case in the country came across her desk, and there was no bigger one than the hunt for the Unabomber. She plays opposite previously announced Chris Noth, who portrays Don Ackerman, the Bay Area Divisional Head of the FBI, who supervised the Unabomber Task Force.
Bobb plays Stan, a corpulent bulldog who torments Fitz a bit. He puts blame on Fitz for not accurately writing the search warrant that took down the Unabomber, essentially blaming Fitz if Kaczynski walks. Collins is Natalie, an undergrad linguistics professor. When Fitz (Sam Worthington) comes to see her in 1997, she is annoyed that he is dragging her back into the case, just as she is about to make tenure at the university. Keisha Castle-Hughes also stars.
Spacey and Brunetti executive produce through their Trigger Street Productions banner. Black List writer Andrew Sodroski penned the pilot and also will exec produce along with Troy Searer and Discovery’s John Goldwyn. Emmy winner Greg Yaitanes will be showrunner for the series and direct all episodes.
Lynch is a two-time Emmy-winning host of NBC’s Hollywood Game Night, and an Emmy and Golden Globe winner for her portrayal of Sue Sylvester on Glee, among her other credits. On the film side, she most recently appeared in Christopher Guest’s Mascots.
Related stories
Chris Noth Cast In Discovery Channel's Unabomber Drama 'Manifesto'; Keisha Castle-Hughes Also Set
'Bridget Jones's Baby' Gets China Release; Berlin Sets First Classics - Global Briefs
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
