Alan Cumming, Ed Asner Join Sam Esmail’s ‘Briarpatch’ at USA

The two actors will have recurring roles in the crime drama starring Rosario Dawson.
Two more actors are headed to Briarpatch.

Ed Asner and Alan Cumming have signed on to recurring parts in the drama anthology from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail and writer Andy Greenwald. They join lead Rosario Dawson and and series regulars Kim Dickens, Jay R. Ferguson, Brian Geraghty and Edi Gathegi.

Based on a novel by Ross Thomas, Briarpatch stars Dawson as Allegra Dill, a dogged investigator who returns to her border-town home in Texas after her sister is murdered. What begins as a search for her sister’s killer soon turns into an all-consuming fight to bring her corrupt hometown to its knees.

Multiple Emmy winner Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Dead to Me) will play James Staghorne Sr., owner of the town’s newspaper and a longtime power broker at city hall. James never bothers to hide his racism and resentment and only speaks to his son, Jimmy Jr. — unless someone sets off his short fuse.

Cumming (Instinct, The Good Wife) will play Clyde Brattle, an elegant (and murderous) arms dealer who’s the target of a Senate investigation headed by Allegra. A fugitive, Clyde comes to town to settle old scores.

Greenwald adapted Thomas’ novel and executive produces with Esmail and Anonymous Content’s Chad Hamilton.

The UCP-produced Briarpatch is currently in production. It will be part of a new generation of shows on USA, which is saying goodbye to both Suits and Mr. Robot in 2019. The cabler has veterans Queen of the South, The Purge and The Sinner along with newcomers Brave New World (based on Aldous Huxley’s classic novel), Dare Me, Treadstone and Suits spinoff Pearson. Dirty John is also moving to USA after airing its first season on Bravo.

Asner is repped by Greene & Associates Talent Agency and manager Perry Zimel. Cumming is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Troika in the U.K.