In a major coup for Showtime, Don Cheadle is heading to the network for a new pilot.
Cheadle has agreed to star in "House of Lies," a half-hour dark comedy pilot written and created by Matthew Carnahan ("Dirt"). The project is based on Martin Kihn's tell-all book "House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time." Jessica Borsicsky ("Flash Forward") is on board as an executive producer, with Stephen Hopkins ("Californication," "24") signed to direct the pilot episode.
"House of Lies" is described as "a subversive, scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm." Cheadle will play Marty, a highly successful (and very cutthroat) consultant who will use any means necessary to deliver results for his clients. The pilot is set to begin production in February 2011.
Beginning in the '80s, Cheadle broke into film with roles in "Moving Violations," "Hamburger Hill," "Colors" and "Roadside Prophets."
More recently, Cheadle began to breakout with his appearances in "Swordfish," "Ocean's Eleven," "Out of Sight," "Traffic" and "Crash." In 2004, Cheadle earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in "Hotel Rwanda; where he played a Rwandan hotel manager named Paul Rusesabagina who attempted to save refugees from a harrowing genocide.
Cheadle also co-starred in "Iron Man 2" as James Rhodes, aka War Machine; taking over the role from Terrence Howard.
“Don Cheadle is one of the great dramatic actors of our generation,” said David Nevins, Showtime's President of Entertainment. “He also happens to be an extremely funny man. 'House of Lies' is the perfect show to take advantage of both sides of him. Honestly, I would have been happy just to get his autograph.”
