Netflix has added to the cast for its limited series Death By Lightning, from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Joining Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Nick Offerman and Betty Gilpin in the series about U.S. President James Garfield is Vondie Curtis Hall, Archie Fisher, Barry Shabaka Henley and Željko Ivanek. The latest additions to the series that has completed production in Budapest, Hungary also include Kyle Soller, Ben Miles, Shaun Parkes and Alistair Petrie.
The historical series from director Matt Ross will see Fisher play Joe Brown, Shabaka Henley as Senator Blanche Bruce (replacing Stephen Mckinley Henderson due to scheduling conflict), Walking Dead: Dead City actor Ivanek playing Dr. Doctor Bliss, and Soller as Robert Todd Lincoln. Elsewhere, Miles is ‘George Scoville, Curtis Hall as Frederick Douglass, Parkes is Dr. Charles Purvis and Petrie has the role of John Sherman.
The Netflix series based on the novel Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard, and explores the “stranger-than-fiction true story” of James Garfield, the 20th president of the U.S. played by Shannon, and “his greatest admirer” Charles Guiteau, and the man who would eventually kill him, played by Macfadyen.
Other previously announced cast members include Laura Marcus as Mollie Garfield, Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid’s Tale) as Secretary of State James Blaine, Shea Whigham as Senator Roscoe Conkling, Paula Malcomson playing Franny Scoville, sister of Charles Guiteau, Tuppence Middleton (Downton Abbey; Mank) as Kate Chase Sprague.
Mike Makowsky (Bad Education) created Death by Lightning and serves as writer. He executive produces alongside Benioff and Weiss, Bernie Caulfield and director Ross (Captain Fantastic).