“American Honey” actress Sasha Lane will star on “Sharp Objects” author Gillian Flynn’s upcoming Amazon series “Utopia,” TheWrap has learned.
“Utopia” follows a group of young adults, who meet online, and “are mercilessly hunted by a shadowy deep state organization after they come in to possession of a near-mythical cult underground graphic novel — they discover the conspiracy theories in the comic’s pages may actually be real and are forced in to the dangerous, unique and ironic position of saving the world.”
Lane has been cast as one of the drama’s leads, Jessica Hyde, who is described as “tough and feral after a life on the run from a mysterious and dangerous group, Jessica believes all the answers about her perplexing life story may be hidden in the graphic novel ‘Utopia’.”
Flynn — who has an overall deal at Amazon Studios — is the creator, executive producer and showrunner of “Utopia,” which is based on the British series of the same name written by Dennis Kelly and received a nine-episode straight-to-series order at Amazon last April.
“As I’ve been writing ‘Utopia’ and trying to imagine the actor who could possibly embody Jessica Hyde, Sasha Lane has constantly kicked her way into my mind,” Flynn said in a statement. “She has the shape-shifting ability to feel at once raw, unpredictable and a little unnerving while also making you want to wrap your arms around her. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her play this utterly unique character.”
Executive producers include Jessica Rhoades (who Flynn collaborated with on HBO’s “Sharp Objects”), Sharon Hall, Karen Wilson, Dennis Kelly and Diederick Santer. Sharon Levy, President, Unscripted & Scripted Television, Endemol Shine North America, will oversee production for Endemol Shine.
“Utopia” is a co-production between Endemol Shine North America and Kudos, an Endemol Shine Group UK production studio, and Amazon Studios.
Lane is repped by WME, The Long Run’s Amy BonFleur and attorney André Des Rochers.