LOS ANGELES — EGOT-winning powerhouse Viola Davis is officially returning to a starring television role, signing on to lead and executive produce Ascent, a high-stakes original thriller series officially greenlit by Paramount+.
The character-driven drama comes from creator, writer, and showrunner John Logan—the acclaimed three-time Oscar nominee and Tony Award winner behind Skyfall, Gladiator, Penny Dreadful, and the Michael Jackson biopic Michael.
A High-Stakes Story of Power and Protection
In Ascent, Davis will star as Catriona Vail, an elite corporate fixer operating at the highest levels of global crisis management and damage control. Known for her cold pragmatism and ruthless problem-solving, Vail has built a career protecting the fortunes and reputations of billion-dollar clients.
However, the narrative takes a deeply personal turn when her estranged daughter is thrust into grave danger, forcing Vail to weaponize those same lethal professional skills to protect her family.
The project marks Davis’s first series-regular television role since her iconic, Emmy-winning six-season turn as Annalise Keating in ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder wrapped in 2020.
“I am overwhelmingly excited about this journey with the great John Logan. We won the lottery with this one!” Davis said in an official statement. “Work in which both story and character are bold, awe-inspiring, and deeply unique is why I became an artist. We at JuVee are deeply grateful to John Logan, Michael Aguilar, and Paramount. We are ready to create magic!”
Behind-the-Scenes Powerhouses
Produced by Paramount Television Studios, Ascent reunites several prominent Hollywood creators and executive teams:
- Creative Leadership: Creator John Logan will serve as showrunner and executive producer.
- Executive Producers: Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, will executive produce through their production banner, JuVee Productions, alongside Michael Aguilar (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, The Departed).
- Studio Backing: Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+, praised the pairing, noting that “Viola Davis doesn’t just take on roles; she transforms them. Catriona Vail is an incredibly complex character and Viola is exactly the generational talent to bring her to life.”
Production Timeline and Release
Filming for Ascent is scheduled to commence in Los Angeles on the historic Paramount lot in 2027. The series will receive an exclusive global premiere across all Paramount+ territories.
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