Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife), Rosie O’Donnell (SMILF) and Imogen Poots (28 Weeks Later) are set to star alongside Juliette Lewis (Camping) and Kathyrn Hahn (Mrs. Fletcher) opposite Mark Ruffalo in I Know This Much Is True, a six-episode limited drama series based on Wally Lamb’s bestselling book. The project, which has received a production commitment from HBO, hails from Mark Ruffalo, who stars in a dual role and executive produces; Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines); and FilmNation Entertainment.
Written, directed and executive produced by Cianfrance, the family saga follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey, both played by Ruffalo, in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness set against the backdrop of 20th century America.
Leo will play Ma (Concettina Ipolita Tempesta Birdsey), mother of Dominick and Thomas.
Panjabi is Dr. Patel, Thomas’ newly appointed psychologist
O’Donnell portrays Lisa Sheffer, a social worker for unit two at the Hatch Forensic Institute where Thomas is staying.
Poots will play Joy Hanks, Dominick’s live-in girlfriend.
Lewis is Nedra Frank, a self-absorbed grad student hired by Dominick.
Hahn portrays Dessa Constantine, Dominick’s ex-wife.
Ruffalo executive produces with Lamb, FilmNation Entertainment’s Ben Browning and Glen Basner, along with Gregg Fienberg, Anya Epstein and Lynette Howell Taylor. Jamie Patricof co-executive produces.
Leo received an Oscar, along with a Golden Globe, SAG and Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for her performance in The Fighter. She most recently starred as Reverend Mother in Sony Picture Classics Novitiate and portrayed the outspoken activist, Madalyn Murray O’Hair in Netflix’s The Most Hated Woman in America. She’s repped by Untitled Entertainment and CAA.
Panjabi won a supporting actress in a drama series Emmy for her portrayal of Kalinda Sharma on The Good Wife. She was most recently seen playing the head of the NSA on NBC’s hit series, Blindspot. Before that she was seen in Warner Bros’ film San Andreas, opposite Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino. She can soon be seen as the lead in Departure, a six-part mini-series for Global TV opposite Christopher Plummer. Panjabi is repped by Gersh.
O’Donnell served as host and executive producer of the critically acclaimed and multiple Emmy-winning nationally syndicated talk/variety series The Rosie O’Donnell Show, did two co-host stints on ABC’s The View and hosted the critically acclaimed Sirius/XM show, Rosie Radio. O’Donnell recently recurred on The Fosters, appeared on CBS’ Mom and most recently starred in Showtime’s hit series SMILF. O’Donnell is repped by WME.
Poots is currently in production on the Joey Klein crime drama, Castle in the Ground and will next star in the Melina Matsoukas’ post-apocalyptic series Y for FX. She’s repped by CAA and Troika.
Lewis was most recently seen in HBO’s Camping, with Jennifer Garner, and the ABC drama Secrets and Lies, and on film in August: Osage County. She received an Emmy nomination for Showtime’s My Louisiana Sky and starred in the Mira Nair directed HBO film Hysterical Blindness, alongside Uma Thurman and Gena Rowlands. She’s repped by Untitled Entertainment and UTA.
Hahn is currently shooting the starring role in HBO’s comedy pilot Mrs. Fletcher, directed and executive produced by Nicole Holofcener. She also stars in Columbia Pictures’ Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse, voicing the Doc Ock character. Hahn also was recently seen starring opposite Paul Giamatti in Tamara Jenkins’ Private Life. Hahn is repped by Gersh, Lighthouse Management and Media and Schreck Rose.
