“Star Wars” actor Domhnall Gleeson has been tapped to play a key Watergate figure in HBO’s limited series “The White House Plumbers” from the team behind “Veep.” Gleeson joins previously announced cast members Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux. The series will be a co-production between HBO and wiip.
Per the logline, the five-part series tells the story of how President Richard Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E. Howard Hunt (Harrelson) and G. Gordon Liddy (Theroux), accidentally toppled the presidency they were zealously trying to protect. Gleeson will play John Dean, the brilliant, ambitious and youthful White House Counsel that ultimately orchestrates the illegal cover-up that brought down Nixon and his administration. “The White House Plumbers” is based in part on public records and the book “Integrity” by Egil “Bud” Krogh and Matthew Krogh.
Harrelson (“Frasier,” “Cheers”) and Theroux (“Maniac”) will executive produce in addition to starring. “The White House Plumbers” marks a return to HBO for Harrelson, Theroux and Gleeson. Harrelson starred in the Emmy-winning first season of “True Detective” at the premium cabler, as well as the HBO original movie “Game Change.” Theroux headlined the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Leftovers,” which ended its run after three seasons in 2017. Gleeson led the Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Vicky Jones comedy-thriller, playing the role of Billy opposite Merritt Wever.
Other recent credits for Gleeson include the comedy series “Frank of Ireland,” which he co-wrote with Brian Gleeson and Michael Moloney for Channel 4 and Amazon. He is repped by Paradigm and The Agency.
“Veep” writers and executive producers Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck created the series and will executive produce. “Veep” showrunner David Mandel, who is currently under an overall deal at HBO, will executive produce and direct all five episodes.
Ruben Fleischer and David Bernad will executive produce for The District along with Paul Lee, Mark Roybal and Nne Ebong for wiip. “Succession” executive producer Frank Rich will also executive produce, alongside Len Amato for Crash&Salvage and Gregg Fienberg.