Sex and Secrets in Space: New CTV Series DEFYING GRAVITY
Lifts Off August 2
- Two-Hour Premiere to air in Super-Simulcast on CTV, /A\ and ABC -
- Vancouver-based series created by GREY'S ANATOMY's James Parriott
and executive produced by DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Michael Edelstein -
- International ensemble cast led by
Ron Livingston (SEX AND THE CITY) and Canadian Laura Harris (24) -
- Award-winning visual effects team behind GREY'S ANATOMY, HEROES
and UGLY BETTY partner with set designer for THE OUTER LIMITS to
create stunning visual backdrops -
- New episodes available post-broadcast on CTV.ca -TORONTO, July 10 /CNW/ - As Canadian astronaut Julie Payette preps for
the launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour tomorrow morning to join fellow Canadian
astronaut Robert Thirsk on the International Space Station, CTV is also
preparing to defy gravity. The new CTV/SPACE drama series DEFYING GRAVITY
debuts Sunday, August 2 at 9 p.m. ET in a special two-hour super-simulcast
premiere on CTV, /A\ and ABC. CTV's fourth cross-border scripted series
continues August 9 in its regular timeslot, Sundays at 10 p.m. on CTV (visit
CTV.ca to confirm local broadcast times). Created by GREY'S ANATOMY's James
Parriott and executive produced by DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES' Michael Edelstein
DEFYING GRAVITY is a sexy, provocative space thriller set in the very near
future, following eight astronauts - from five countries including Canada - on
a mysterious mission through the solar system.
(xx) Media Note (xx) - Download all-new photos from DEFYING GRAVITY at
ctvmedia.ca.
As the Canadian representative on DEFYING GRAVITY's International Space
Station Antares, smart and to-the-point biologist Jen Crane (Canadian actress
Christina Cox) suffers no fools. Wise and supportive, with an opinion on
everything, her "honeymoon in space" is derailed when her husband Rollie is
removed from Antares in the eleventh hour, only to be replaced by Ted Shaw,
with whom she has an illicit history.
Following the CTV/ABC broadcast premiere, encore episodes of DEFYING
GRAVITY air on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca. The series will
premiere on SPACE at a later date.
On November 4, 2008, CTV, along with Fox Television Studios and
Vancouver's Omni Film Productions Limited, jointly announced the series
co-venture, with CTV as lead broadcaster. Production began January 17, 2009 in
Vancouver and wrapped June 19. Three weeks later ABC announced it had ordered
DEFYING GRAVITY for broadcast in the U.S., the fourth drama series CTV has
been involved in to also air on a major U.S. network in primetime.
"DEFYING GRAVITY is a sexy, beautifully shot drama full of mystery,
suspense and intrigue," said Susanne Boyce, President, Creative, Content and
Channels, CTV Inc. "With a stellar international ensemble cast set against the
backdrop of space millions of kilometres from Earth, Jim and Michael have
delivered a drama that is truly out of this world."
"DEFYING GRAVITY has been a labour of love from the very beginning," said
Creator and Executive Producer, James Parriott. "Part of what made it so was
the wonderful collaboration with our partners in Vancouver. I couldn't be more
thrilled to see the show getting its ideal on-air home in Canada, the United
States, and around the world."
In the two-hour DEFYING GRAVITY series premiere (Sunday, August 2 at 9
p.m. ET), two of the eight novice astronauts onboard mysteriously develop
heart ailments only hours after leaving Earth's orbit for Venus and a six-year
inter-planetary sojourn aboard the spaceship Antares. Replacing the ill
engineer, Ajay Sharma (Zahf Paroo) and Mission Commander Rollie Crane (Ty
Olsson), are experienced astronauts Maddux Donner (Ron Livingston) and Ted
Shaw (Malik Yoba). Donner's arrival disturbs the ship's geologist Zoe Barnes
(Canadian Laura Harris), who is linked to him by a strange dream and a
romantic encounter from their early training days.
Although nearly every facet of life on the Antares is broadcast to avid
viewers on Earth by documentary producer Paula Morales (Paula Garces), there
is also a hidden force that appears to be controlling events from within the
spacecraft. With the real purpose of the mission known only to flight director
Mike Goss (Andrew Airlie) and a select few, the Antares finally leaves Earth's
orbit for the immensity of interstellar space.
In the second hour, some rocky and intriguing developments confront the
crew as they learn to adjust to life on board the Antares, now well on its way
to Venus. In spite of the libido-suppressing HALOS supposedly worn by everyone
on board, pilot Nadia Schilling (Florentine Lahme) continues her seductive
designs on Donner. Zoe still hears strange cries, seemingly coming from
Storage Pod 4 - which is off limits to most of the crew. After Ted, now
spaceship commander, is briefed by his wife, scientist Eve Shaw (Karen
LeBlanc), about the true nature of the mission, he enters Pod 4 and is
confronted by a frightening maelstrom.
Meanwhile, back at Mission Control, Commander Goss holds a press
conference, ostensibly to explain the abrupt removal of Ajay and Rollie from
the Antares. Skeptical British reporter Trevor Williams (Peter Howitt) is
determined to discover the truth.
With state-of-the-art CGI effects by award-winning visual effects company
Stargate Studios (HEROES, GREY'S ANATOMY, UGLY BETTY), in collaboration wit
veteran set designer Stephen Geaghan (THE OUTER LIMITS) and his team, DEFYING
GRAVITY is a stunning visual production. The series comes to life by
anticipating scientific technologies of the future; from the massive,
spectacularly detailed spacecraft to innovative visual effects, which depict
the astronauts' weightless realities, and their descent onto planets so far
untouched by man. The series was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia.
DEFYING GRAVITY is a co-venture produced by Fox Television Studios and
Vancouver's Omni Film Productions Limited in association with CTV, the lead
broadcaster. Starring a diverse, international ensemble cast led by Ron
Livingston (Office Space) and Vancouver-native Laura Harris (24), the
hour-long, 13-episode series will also air on the BBC in the U.K. and on
ProSieben in Germany.
The series' international ensemble cast is led by Ron Livingston (Office
Space, Band of Brothers) as Antares' flight engineer Maddux Donner; Canadian
Laura Harris (24) as ship's geologist Zoe Barnes; Malik Yoba (New York
Undercover) as Antares commander Ted Shaw; Canadian Christina Cox (Blood Ties)
as Canadian biologist Jen Crane; Florentine Lahme (IMPACT) as pilot Nadia
Schilling; Paula Garces (THE SHIELD) as pilot, scientist and on-board
documentary producer Paula Morales; Eyal Podell (24) as psychiatrist and
medical officer Evram Mintz; and Canadian Dylan Taylor (House Party) as
theoretical physicist Steve Wassenfelder. The cast on planet Earth is led by
Canadian Andrew Airlie (REAPER) as Mission Control Commander Mike Goss;
Canadian Karen LeBlanc (ReGenesis) as scientist Eve Shaw; Canadian Zahf Paroo
(Battlestar Galactica) as grounded flight engineer Ajay Sharma; Canadian Ty
Olsson (MEN IN TREES) as grounded mission commander - and Jen's husband -
Rollie Crane; and Canadian Maxim Roy (MVP) as flight surgeon Claire Dereux.
Episodic Director and Canadian Peter Howitt also plays the role of British
journalist Trevor Williams.
DEFYING GRAVITY was created by award-winning, Emmy(R) Award-nominated
writer/producer James Parriott (executive producer on GREY'S ANATOMY and UGLY
BETTY). Parriott and Emmy(R) Award-nominated producer Michael Edelstein
(executive producer on DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES) are executive producers, along
with Omni's Brian Hamilton and Michael Chechik. Ron French (BATTLESTAR
GALACTICA) is the producer. DEFYING GRAVITY is produced by Fox Television
Studios and Omni Film Productions (producers of CTV's critically-acclaimed
series ROBSON ARMS) in association with CTV and Germany's ProSieben. Fraser
Robinson is Director of Content for SPACE. Robert Hardy is Development
Manager, Western Production for CTV. Brett Burlock is Director, Program
Development for CTV. Susanne Boyce is President, Creative, Content and
Channels, CTV Inc.ABOUT CTV
---------CTV, Canada's Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private
broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and
entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network.
CTV Inc. also owns radio stations across the country and owns or has interests
in leading national specialty channels, featuring news, sports, factual, arts,
entertainment, music, youth and fashion programming. CTV Inc. is owned by
CTVglobemedia Inc., Canada's premier multi-media company, which also owns
Canada's national newspaper, The Globe and Mail. CTV is the official
broadcaster of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and
London 2012 Games of the Olympiad. More information about CTV may be found on
the company website at www.ctv.ca.About SPACE
-----------SPACE's ongoing support of Canadian Independent productions has been a
major contributor to the success of series such as RABBIT FALL, CHARLIE JADE,
GRAND STAR, TRIPPING THE RIFT, and the SPACE/CTV Original series THE LISTENER.
Documentaries include FAMOUS MONSTERS, GIRLY GHOSTHUNTERS, PRETTY BLOODY, and
SHADOW HUNTER. SPACE is Canada's national science fiction, speculation and
fantasy channel. SPACE is truly the boutique station for all those who dare to
challenge their imagination (www.spacecast.com). SPACE is owned by CTV
Limited, a division of CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier multi-media company.ABOUT FOX TELEVISION STUDIOS
----------------------------Fox Television Studios develops and produces scripted and non-scripted
programming for major U.S. broadcast and cable networks, and international
broadcasters. The studio's scripted programming slate includes THE SHIELD,
starring Emmy(R) award-winner Michael Chiklis; BURN NOTICE on USA Network;
SAVING GRACE on TNT, starring Academy Award(R)-winner and Emmy nominee Holly
Hunter; MENTAL, produced in conjunction with Fox International Channels, and
starring Chris Vance and Emmy award-winner Annabella Sciorra; and PERSONS
UNKNOWN, from Academy Award-winning writer Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual
Suspects) who is executive-producing with Heather McQuarrie, and Executive
Producer Remi Aubuchon. The series is produced in Mexico in conjunction with
the broadcaster Televisa. The studio's alternative roster includes the
late-night TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN, now in its third season on FOX; and
the hit reality show, THE GIRLS NEXT DOOR, on E!ABOUT OMNI FILM PRODUCTIONS LIMITED
-----------------------------------Omni Film Productions Limited is one of Canada's most respected
television production companies, producing top quality programming in a wide
variety of genres. Since 1979 Omni has produced over 175 hours of television
dramas, documentaries, factual and lifestyle series and children's programming
resulting in over 75 national and international awards. Omni's series include
ROBSON ARMS and ALICE, I THINK (both for CTV and The Comedy Network), the
Gemini award-winning mini-series DRAGON BOYS,,THIS SPACE FOR RENT, EDGEMONT,
STUNTDAWGS, MAKE SOME NOISE, THE ODYSSEY, CHAMPIONS OF THE WILD, ANCIENT
CLUES, QUIET PLACES, HEALTHY HOME, HI-TECH CULTURE and most recently ICE
PILOTS N.W.T.
For further information: Jim Quan, CTV Inc., (416) 384-5311 or
jim.quan@ctv.ca; Sonia Brum, CTV Inc., (416) 384-5374 or sonia.brum@ctv.ca;
Laura Heath Potter, CTV Inc., (416) 384-4633 or laura.heathpotter@ctv.ca
