Dennis Hopper nabs 'Crash' for Starz, new series

By April MacIntyre Jun 5, 2008, 22:49 GMT

05/25/2008 - Dennis Hopper 2008 Cannes Film Festival - Palme d\'Or Closing Ceremony - Arrivals - Palais des Festivals - Cannes, France © Pixplanete / PR Photos

Starz and Lionsgate have inked Dennis Hopper to star in the original series "Crash."

Hopper joins Clare Carey, Luis Chavez, Ross McCall, Jocko Sims, Brian Tee, and Arlene Tur, and writers from “The Sopranos,” “NYPD Blue,” “Deadwood,” “Without A Trace” and “The Wire” to premiere in October only on Starz.

“Crash” is the first original drama series from Starz Entertainment and is based on the Paul Haggis directed Oscar winning film.

The 13-episode one-hour series, co-produced with Lionsgate, has begun production in Albuquerque, N.M., with additional filming to take place in and around Los Angeles, Calif.

Sanford Bookstaver will direct the premiere episode of the drama.

The announcement was made jointly today by Stephan Shelanski, Starz Entertainment’s executive vice president programming, and Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate’s president of programming and production.

The revealed cast includes Dennis Hopper (Blue Velvet) as “Ben,” a veteran, maverick music producer looking for his last big score; Clare Carey (“Jericho”) as “Christine,” a frustrated Brentwood mom, married to a successful pre-bust real estate developer; Luis Chavez (Ocean’s Thirteen) as “Cesar,” a poor immigrant who embarks on a brutal journey to America; Ross McCall (“Band of Brothers") plays “Kenny,” a cop more interested in joyriding than paperwork; Jocko Sims (“CSI”)  is “Anthony,” Ben’s driver;  Brian Tee (“Grey’s Anatomy") portrays “Eddie,” a Korean-American immigrant who works as an EMT; and Arlene Tur (“Grey’s Anatomy”) is “Bebe,” a former actress who becomes a police officer.

Additional cast will be announced soon.

Glen Mazzara (“The Shield”) serves as executive producer, and the creative team includes executive producers Paul Haggis, Bob Yari and Bobby Moresco, and co-executive producers Don Cheadle, Tom Nunan, Mark Harris, Jorg Westerkamp and Thomas Becker, all of whom were key members of the Oscar-winning theatrical production team. 

Set in Los Angeles, the series will continue to focus on an ensemble cast of characters. It will explore the illusive path to the American dream.