We’ve long since left the days behind when film actors snagging TV roles was anything shocking, but it seems like a particularly busy time for actors making the transition, what with David Morrissey setting up a pilot yesterday and Paul Giamatti announced for a new detective show today.
The US FX network has nabbed the actor to star in Hoke, which will be based on Charles Willeford’s novels. Specifically, the planned series will draw from Sideswipe, New Hope For The Dead and The Way We Die Now, though mixing things up the way Justified uses Elmore Leonard’s Raylan Givens stories.
Hoke will follow detective Hoke Moseley around Miami circa 1985 as he tries to do his job as a homicide investigator while dealing with a big mid-life crisis and possible insanity issues. So not another Miami Vice, in other words. Out Of Sight writer Scott Frank has scripted the pilot, will direct it and, should the channel decide to order the show, is aboard to run the writer’s room.
“Like Elmore Leonard, Charles Willeford is one of the most deeply respected writers of crime fiction and he created a wholly original and colourful lead character in Detective Hoke Moseley,” said FX president of original programming Eric Schrier in a statement picked up by Deadline. “Scott Frank delivered a magnificent script and we are honoured that Paul Giamatti will bring Hoke to life.” Movie trivia alert: the Moseley character was played (as a sergeant) by Fred Ward in 1990’s Miami Blues.
It’s just the latest telly role for Giamatti, who will be stopping by Downton Abbey in the next series. Film-wise, he has Romeo And Juliet, Saving Mr. Banks and 12 Years A Slave upcoming. He’s also the Rhino in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which lands here on April 18.