It hasn’t even aired in the US yet but Channel 4 have acquired the rights to Michael Sheen sex drama Masters of Sex in which he stars as Dr. William Masters who, alongside Virginia Johnson, led pioneering research into sex in the 1960s. This is Sheen’s first major TV role; the Welsh actor is mainly known for his big screen work where he is no stranger to a biographical role (he’s played Tony Blair 3 times!). He has also played football manager Brian Clough in THE DAMNED UNITED and talk show host David Frost in FROST/NIXON .
Masters of Sex, which features graphic sex, has already won a Critics’ Choice award for most promising new series. Here’s what Sheen had to say about the show:
‘What really attracted me was that there’s such potential there. With something like that, you could potentially end up doing seven seasons. When I read the pilot episode, I thought there was such potential, in all kinds of ways. What the subject matter is about is interesting and different, and we haven’t really seen that before. It’s very intense. And I thought there was a lot of opportunity there to really explore something we find taboo, in some ways, and a bit embarrassing. I thought that was interesting.’
His research partner will be played by Lizzy Caplan (MEAN GIRLS, New Girl, True Blood) and the cast is rounded out by Nicholas D’Agosto (FINAL DESTINATION 5), Caitlin FitzGerald (DAMSELS IN DISTRESS) and Teddy Sears (666 Park Avenue)
You can watch the trailer for the series below which, with titles reminiscent of True Blood, gives just a small glimpse of some of the intense scenes you can expect. Channel 4 expect the show to air in September, shortly after it goes out in the US.
Source: BBC News
