Dennis Quaid, Michelle Fairley Join Fortitude Cast

LONDON: Season two of the Arctic-set thriller Fortitude will see Dennis Quaid (Far from Heaven), Parminder Nagra (ER), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Robert Sheehan (Misfits) and Ken Stott (The Missing) join the cast.

The Sky original drama is co-produced by Pivot. The first season ranks as Sky Atlantic’s biggest drama commission to date. It was sold around the world in more than 170 territories. The thriller will return to Sky Atlantic in late 2016.

The new cast members join returning stars Sofie Gråbøl (The Killing), Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones), Luke Treadaway (Clash of the Titans), Darren Boyd (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man), Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Jar City), Mia Jexen (Happiness), Alexandra Moen (Strike Back), Verónica Echegui (The Cold Light of Day), Sienna Guillory (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man) and Ramon Tikaram (Jupiter Ascending).

The creative team behind the first season will return, with Simon Donald writing the new story. Fifty Fathoms and Tiger Aspect will produce the drama with Sky Atlantic.

Zai Bennett, the director of Sky Atlantic, said: “I’m incredibly excited to welcome these great names to our already amazing returning cast for the next series of Fortitude. We know our customers love epic dramas and world class storytelling and they appreciate that having the very best actors are integral to bringing these shows to life. Its success around the world is testament to all involved and we are delighted to be working with Pivot again for this second series.”

Simon Donald, the creator and writer, said: “Sky and Pivot are letting me return to the Arctic with Fortitude II. Given what happened in our story previously this may be somewhat reckless. But with Dennis Quaid, Michelle Fairley, Ken Stott, Parminder Nagra and Robert Sheehan to play with—somewhat reckless should get thrillingly intense.”

Belisa Balaban, the executive VP of original programming at Pivot, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Sky once again on this bold Arctic thriller, and to welcome these extraordinary actors into the cozy, twisted world of Fortitude. The second season promises another unexpected journey into this melting glacial landscape.”