Patrick Dempsey to Star in EPIX Thriller Harry Quebert Affair

Production is underway on a new ten-part event series for EPIX, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, which will star Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy, Bridget Jones’s Baby) in the title role.

Dempsey will play Harry Quebert, a literary icon who suddenly finds himself indicted for murder after the body of a young girl is found buried on his property. Marcus Goldman, a successful young novelist who has been mentored by Quebert, will be played by Ben Schnetzer (Snowden, Pride). Jean-Jacques Annaud (Seven Years in Tibet, Black Gold) will make his TV directorial debut, directing every episode of the series, which is based on the best-selling European novel of the same name by Joël Dicker.

The cast also includes Damon Wayans Jr. (New Girl), who will play Sgt. Perry Gahalowood, a Maine State Police detective who is investigating the death of Kellergan. Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen (Joy, Designated Survivor, Sideways) plays Tamara Quinn, Jenny Quinn’s mother and the owner of a local diner who learns of a secret about Quebert.

MGM Television, Eagle Pictures and Barbary Films have started production in Montreal. Lyn Greene (Masters of Sex, The Interestings) and Richard Levine (Masters of Sex, The Interestings) wrote the pilot script and several episodes based on an adaptation by Annaud.

“Joël Dicker’s exquisite thriller The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair has captivated a worldwide audience with its complicated tale of love and lies,” said Steve Stark, MGM’s president of television production and development. “I am thrilled that this first-class ensemble cast led by Patrick Dempsey, and the incomparable director Jean-Jacques Annaud, get to bring this provocative page-turner to life.”

“The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair was the ideal project for my first American television venture,” said Annaud. “It is a rich and nuanced novel set in a small New England town and has all the elements for a classic mystery. Having MGM, Tarak and Fabio as my partners has given me the ability to assemble a formidable cast and a talented crew. Their enthusiasm for Harry Quebert is equal to my own.”

“In searching for a partner with Fabio Conversi to produce The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, I turned to long-time friend and colleague Gary Barber,” said Ben Ammar of Eagle Pictures. “Under his leadership, along with Mark Burnett, who runs the television group, and Steve Stark, their team has created high-quality, award-winning series and I am confident that the MGM team will bring the same level of excellence to this internationally appealing project based on a European best-selling novel with an American story.”

“With its provocative subject matter, inspired casting and source material from master storyteller Joël Dicker, The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair is the perfect addition to our offerings at EPIX,” said Mark Greenberg, the president and CEO of EPIX. “We look forward to working with MGM Television, Eagle Pictures and this fantastic creative team as we continue our expansion into original scripted programming.”

Conversi of Barbary Films added: “The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair was a long awaited adaptation in a highly competitive environment. My partner and I secured the rights and brought Jean-Jacques and MGM Television on board.”