The Obamas’ first scripted Netflix series has found its star.
Will Forte is set to star in Bodkin, a seven-episode dark comedic thriller created by Jez Scharf (Mister Biscuits), The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The series is part of an extensive slate of upcoming projects from President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama‘s Higher Ground Productions.
The series will follow “a motley crew of podcasters who set out to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers in an idyllic, coastal Irish town,” according to its official logline. “But once they start pulling at threads, they discover a story much bigger and weirder than they could have ever imagined. As our heroes try to discern fact from fiction — about the case, about their colleagues, and most painfully, themselves — the series challenges our perception of truth and exposes the stories we tell ourselves to justify our beliefs or validate our fears.”
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Forte will play Gilbert Power, a charming, open and enthusiastic American podcaster on the hunt for his next big story. While he hopes traveling to Ireland will help him discover his Irish roots, he soon realizes there’s much more going on underneath the surface, both for himself and the case.
In addition to Forte, the cast will include Siobhan Cullen (The Dry), Robyn Cara (Trying), David Wilmot (Station Eleven) and Chris Walley (The Last Voyage of the Demeter).
Alex Metcalf (Sharp Objects, Kingdom) serves as co-showrunner alongside Scharf, with the Obamas executive-producing.
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