Hugh Laurie, known for his role in House and his portrayal of Richard Roper in the le Carré adaptation The Night Manager, and Joe Alwyn, who appeared in The Favourite and Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, have joined the ensemble of the upcoming espionage series Legacy of Spies, according to an announcement from the show’s executive producers Wednesday.
The eight-part drama, an adaptation of John le Carré’s novels The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and A Legacy of Spies, will air on the BBC in the United Kingdom and on MGM+ in the United States. It will also feature previously announced cast members Matthew Macfadyen, Charlie Hunnam, and Daniel Bruhl.
In a statement Wednesday, executive producers Stephen and Simon Cornwell, le Carré’s sons, said: “To be reunited with Hugh Laurie and Joe Alwyn as Control and Prideaux is a remarkable privilege as we build out the world of the Circus. It’s wonderful to welcome Hugh into a new dimension of the le Carré universe alongside his brilliant portrayal of Richard Roper in The Night Manager, and we’re thrilled that Joe, who we first worked with on Ang Lee’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, is now joining us in this momentous undertaking as well.”
Laurie and Alwyn are the latest additions to a cast that has drawn from both British and international talent. The Cornwells emphasized the significance of bringing their father’s literary universe to screen, adding: “There is something profound about watching our father’s universe brought to life by actors of this caliber, and it is extraordinary seeing the ensemble take flight. It’s everything we could have hoped for and more.”