Hugh Laurie Joins George Clooney in 'Catch-22' at Hulu
Ellen Kuras also has boarded the miniseries and will produce and direct two episodes.
Hugh Laurie is returning to Hulu.
Following two seasons of the streamer's Chance, the House alum has joined the cast of the George Clooney-led miniseries Catch-22.
Based on Joseph Heller’s novel, Catch-22 is the story of the artful dodger, Yossarian (played by Christopher Abbott), a U.S. Air Force bombardier in World War II who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy, but rather his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to avoid his military assignments, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule that specifies that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers which are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind; a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but a request to be removed from duty is evidence of sanity and therefore makes him ineligible to be relieved from duty.
Laurie will take on the role of Major de Coverley, the squadron executive officer on Pianosa air base. A noble, leonine presence, like some Civil War general, de Coverley dances to the beat of his own drum. Regarded with awe by the men. He spends his time pitching horseshoes, listening to jazz on his phonograph, mixing himself martinis and hiring apartments for the officers in every new city the Americans take.
Clooney, in his first series regular role since ER, will take on the role of Col. Cathcart, originally played by Martin Balsam. Clooney and his Smokehouse Pictures producing partner Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck, Argo, The Ides of March) will direct and executive produce. Ellen Kuras (Legion, Ozark) has also boarded the closed-ended miniseries as a producer and will direct two episodes. Luke Davies and David Michod will co-write and exec produce the series along with Anonymous Content's Richard Brown and Steve Golin. A premiere date has yet to be determined.
Laurie, whose credits include House and The Night Manager, is repped by WME and Christian Hodell.
