Jonathan Bailey has been tapped to star in the upcoming Showtime limited series “Fellow Travelers.”
The “Bridgerton” actor will star as Matt Bomer’s love interest, Tim Laughlin. Tim is described as a young Fordham University graduate, earnest about his political and religious convictions and filled with optimism about the post-WWII future.
The series is based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Mallon and tells the love story of two men who meet in the shadow of McCarthy-era Washington.
Bomer, who is also an executive producer on the show, will play Hawkins Fuller, who has a lucrative career in politics while keeping behind the scenes. Hawkins is described as a character who “avoids emotional entanglements” until he meets Bailey’s Tim Laughlin.
The two find themselves falling in love as Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn persecute the LGBTQ community, a time in history known as the Lavender Scare. Over the course of four decades, Hawkins and Tim cross paths through the Vietnam War protests of the 1960s, the drug-fueled disco hedonism of the 1970s and the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, while facing obstacles in the world and in themselves.
“Get Out” actress Allison Williams has also been cast. “Fellow Travelers” is set to begin production in Toronto in July.
Bomer will executive produce alongside Ron Nyswaner, Robbie Rogers and Daniel Minahan. Minahan will also direct the first two episodes.
Reacting to the news later in the day, Bailey wrote on Instagram, “Epic story. Incredible team. THRILLED to be on board.”
Bomer, in his Instagram post, noted he’d been keeping the casting info under his hat for a bit.
“I’ve been holding this one close to the vest for a minute. I could not be more excited to be sharing the experience of Fellow Travelers with an actor I respect and admire more than I can say, @jbayleaf,” Bomer posted. “And the brilliant Allison Williams @aw ! I’m so grateful that this story is in their hands -and I can’t wait to tell it along side them.”
Bailey is perhaps best known for his role as Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s “Bridgerton” series. He leads the second installment as his character, the Viscount Bridgerton, embarks on his own quest to find a wife and finds himself falling for his bride’s sister, played by Simone Ashley. He will reprise his role in Season 3.
