Frances Conroy is set to enter “The Mist” for Spike TV. She’ll star in the scripted drama, an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1980 novella. “The Mist,” which Spike has ordered straight-to-series, is also based on the well-reviewed 2007 film version of the story directed by Frank Darabont.
Conroy has found great success on the small-screen. She already has six Emmy nominations to her name — two for FX’s “American Horror Story,” and four for HBO’s “Six Feet Under.” She took home a Golden Globe for her role in the latter.
The Hollywood Reporter describes “The Mist” as a “harrowing story about a seemingly innocuous mist that seeps into a small town and creates immense havoc.” Conroy will play Nathalie, “a modern-day ecological martyr. While she is seemingly more connected to nature than most people, her instincts about her fellow humans are dead on.”
Production will kick off this summer with plans for a 2017 premiere. Christian Torpe (“Rita”) will write and EP. No word on who will direct the 10 episodes.
A report from Dr. Martha Lauzen and the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film revealed that in the 2014–15 prime-time television season, only two percent of female characters were in their 60s or above (and only 4 percent of male characters). Conroy turns 63 this year. Her recent credits include a major role on Hulu’s “Casual” and a guest spot on ABC’s “The Real O’Neals.” It’ll be great to see a leading lady over 60 on “The Mist.”
