Production Under Way on New NBC Series

LONDON,
December 10: Filming
has begun in South Africa, Mozambique and Prague on The Philanthropist, the first commission for Carnival Films from
their new parent company, NBC Universal.

The
series, starring James Purefoy (Rome),
is an eight-part drama for NBC that follows the heroic adventures of a
billionaire playboy turned vigilante philanthropist. The pilot is written by David Eick (Battlestar
Galactica) and is directed by Peter Horton (Grey's Anatomy). Purefoy takes on the lead role of Teddy Rist, and
Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order)
plays his business partner and friend, Phillip Maidstone. Neve Campbell (Scream)
plays Olivia, Phillip's wife who also runs the charitable foundation set up by
the two billionaires.

Gareth Neame, Carnival's managing director, said:
"The Philanthropist is a
riveting project whose central themes of generosity, its display of 'muscular
charity' and fighting for what is right have universal appeal. As NBCU's
international TV studio we are breaking new ground working with U.K. talent
both in front of and behind the camera on a U.S. network show produced here and
using worldwide locations."

Angela Bromstad, the president of primetime entertainment
for NBC and Universal Media Studios, added, "We are delighted
that a compelling and exciting script of this scope will be handled by
Carnival, whose reputation for quality is second to none in the TV production
arena. This will be the first production from our burgeoning International TV
Production unit and we couldn't have hoped for a more globally appealing
project."

—By
Kristin Brzoznowski