STARZ Adds Seven Cast Members to ‘The Venery of Samantha Bird’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It’s been a little while since we talked about the upcoming STARZ series, The Venery of Samantha Bird, and understandably so. Because it takes time to assemble all the essential personnel and cast members for a television series, and the folks behind the scenes have been working hard to bring together the right people to bring this series to life and they’ve made some wonderful progress.
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For earlier today, STARZ announced that seven cast members have been added to the show, as have more, key behind the scenes personnel and well… with that in mind, here are those new cast and crew members for a series that is shaping up to be a powerhouse drama.

‘STARZ has announced seven series regulars joining Katherine Langford in its upcoming drama series “The Venery of Samantha Bird.” Additionally, Larysa Kondracki (“Power,” “Better Call Saul”) has been added as executive producer and will serve as director on four episodes, including the pilot, and Nicole Jefferson Asher (“P-Valley,” “The First Lady”) has joined as co-executive producer.
 
Finn Jones (“Iron Fist,” “Swimming with Sharks”) will play Jake Minot, the fearless, ruggedly handsome and quietly charismatic former childhood sweetheart of Samantha Bird. It's been many years since they've seen each other, but when they meet again during Sam’s trip to New England, they pick up, it's like no time has passed.
 
Francesca Reale (“Stranger Things”) will play Ellie Bird, Samantha’s confident, intelligent and pleasantly outspoken youngest sister. Articulate and well-educated, Ellie has a close relationship with her sister and they seem comfortable talking about anything and everything…but all the while Ellie is quietly keeping a watchful and protective eye on Sam.
 
Embeth Davidtz (“The Morning Show”) will play Carol Minot, Jake's mother and an old family friend of the Birds. 
 
Brenda Strong (“Unprisoned,” “13 Reasons Why”) will play Nan Bird, Sam’s mother.
 
Adam Faison (“Hellraiser,” “Everything’s Gonna Be OK”) plays Nigel, a local New Hampshire-based podcaster, and close friend of Ellie Bird.
 
Shalini Bathina (“Little Voice,” “Long Slow Exhale”) plays Dr. Priyanka Yalen. Reserved and sophisticated, she’s Jake’s therapist, much to the chagrin of her husband.
 
Tyrone Marshall Brown (“Love Is,” “Power”) plays Gideon Yalen, Priyanka’s husband who has concerns about Jake, and his wife taking him on as a patient.
 
It was previously announced that, Katherine Langford (“Knives Out,” “13 Reasons Why,”) will lead the eight-episode drama in the title role of Samantha.
 
Visiting family in New England, Samantha Bird reconnects with her childhood sweetheart and falls headlong into a seemingly perfect storybook romance. But underneath their fever dream lurks a more unsettling interpretation of this affair. “The Venery of Samantha Bird” is a haunting portrayal of addictive love and the repercussions that a relationship has on the families in a small New England town.
 
In addition to Kondracki and Asher, Salvatore Stabile (“Waco”) is executive producer, Jessica Rhoades (“Station Eleven,” “Sharp Objects”) executive produces through her Pacesetter Productions shingle, with Rachel Polan serving as co-executive producer, Lisa Vinnecour is  co-exec producer and Jessica Yu (“Fosse/Verdon,” “Billions”) is consulting producer.  The series is created by Anna Moriarty, who also serves as executive producer.
  
About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its international premium streaming platform STARZPLAY, now LIONSGATE+, to provide subscribers access to bold, curated storytelling. LIONSGATE+, coupled with the STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture in MENA and Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia, has a footprint that extends across the globe. STARZ and LIONSGATE+ are available across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead, a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the camera and throughout the company.
 
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) encompasses world-class motion picture and television studio operations aligned with the STARZ premium global subscription platform to bring a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world.  The Company’s film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and a valuable collection of iconic film and television franchises. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for audiences worldwide.
 
About Paramount Television Studios 
Paramount Television Studios is a leading content studio, developing and financing a wide range of cutting-edge and entertaining television programs across all media platforms for distribution worldwide. The studio’s robust slate includes THE OFFER (Paramount+), GREASE: RISE OF THE PINK LADIES (Paramount+), FATAL ATTRACTION (Paramount+), AMERICAN GIGOLO (Showtime),  “STATION ELEVEN” (HBO Max), “SHANTARAM” (Apple TV+), “TIME BANDITS” (Apple TV+), “DEFENDING JACOB” (Apple TV+), “HOME BEFORE DARK” (Apple TV+), Tom Clancy’s “JACK RYAN” (Prime Video), “REACHER” (Prime Video), “CROSS” (Prime Video), “THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES” (Disney+), “JOE PICKETT” (Spectrum Originals), “THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR” (Netflix) and “THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE” (Netflix), among others. Paramount Television Studios is a subsidiary of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA; PARAA), a global content company with premier television, film, and digital entertainment brands. ’

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