Cinemax Begins Production on New Action Series BANSHEE

HBO/CINEMAX has begun production in and around Charlotte, NC on the action series BANSHEE, executive produced by Alan Ball, Greg Yaitanes, Peter Macdissi, Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler. Scheduled for ten hour-long episodes, the show will debut on CINEMAX in 2013.

BANSHEE stars Antony Starr ("Rush") as Lucas Hood, an ex-con and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pa., where he continues hiscriminal activities, even as he's hunted by the shadowy gangsters he betrayed years earlier.

The new series also stars Ivana Milicevic ("Charlie's Angels," HBO's "Mind of the Married Man") as Carrie Hopewell, a notorious jewel thief who now lives in Banshee under an assumed identity with her new family, who know nothing of her past; Ulrich Thomsen ("The Celebration") as Proctor, an intimidating, wealthy local businessman who believes he is above the law; Frankie Faison ("The Good Wife," HBO's "The Wire") as Sugar Bates, a wise, powerful former boxer and ex-con who now owns the local watering hole; Rus Blackwell ("Burn Notice," HBO's "Recount") as Gulf War hero Gordon Hopewell, Banshee's district attorney, who is married to Carrie; Ryann Shane ("Blue Bloods") as Deva Hopewell, Carrie and Gordon's rebellious daughter; and Ben Cross ("Star Trek," "Ben Hur") as Mr. Rabbit, a ruthless Ukrainian gangster who has been hunting Lucas and Carrie, his former top thieves, for 15 years.

The series is executive produced by Alan Ball (HBO's "True Blood" and "Six Feet Under"), Greg Yaitanes ("House," "Lost"), Peter Macdissi ("Towelhead," HBO's "Six Feet Under"), Jonathan Tropper (author of the New York Times bestseller "This Is Where I Leave You") and David Schickler (author of "Kissing in Manhattan" and "Sweet and Vicious").

The scripts were conceived and written by Tropper and Schickler. Emmy(R)-winner Yaitanes directs, with additional directors to be announced.

BANSHEE is the latest primetime drama series to be added to the upcoming CINEMAX slate, which also includes season two of "Strike Back," starring Sullivan Stapleton and Philip Winchester, and "Hunted," starring Melissa George.