Dennis Quaid has signed on to star opposite David Oyelowo in the upcoming Paramount+ series “Bass Reeves,” Variety has learned.
The series, which is currently filming in Texas, will see Oyelowo play the legendary titular lawman. Per the official description, “Reeves was known as the greatest frontier hero in American history and also believed to be the inspiration for ‘The Lone Ranger.’ He worked in the post-Reconstruction era as a federal peace officer in the Indian Territory, capturing over 3,000 of the most dangerous criminals without ever being wounded.”
Quaid will play Sherrill Lynn, a Deputy U.S. Marshall. He is the first cast member aside from Oyelowo to be officially confirmed for the series.
This marks one of the few TV roles Quaid has taken on in his career, which stretches back to the 1970s. He has previously starred on shows like “Merry Happy Whatever,” “The Art of More,” and “Vegas.” He is primarily known for his film roles, having led features such as “The Rookie,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Traffic,” “Frequency,” “The Parent Trap,” “The Right Stuff,” “Breaking Away,” and ”Midway” among many others.
Quaid is repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Adkins Publicity, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.
The Bass Reeves series was first reported in September 2021 when Oyelowo signed an overall deal with Paramount (then ViacomCBS) and MTV Entertainment Studios under his Yoruba Saxon banner. “Yellowstone” co-creator Taylor Sheridan executive produces along with Chad Feehan, David C. Glasser, Oyelowo, Jessica Oyelowo, David Permut, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari and David Hutkin. The series is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions, and Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon.