Hugh Laurie Joins HBO’s ‘The Trial Of Louise Woodward’

EXCLUSIVE: Hugh Laurie is the latest addition to The Trial of Louise Woodward, HBO‘s true-crime limited series from creator Matthew Barry.

This marks Laurie’s third outing with HBO after Veep and Avenue 5 – both comedies from Armando Iannucci. He joins a cast with Catriona Chandler in the title role. The show also stars Joanne Froggatt, Meghann Fahy, Sagar Radia, and Chloë Sevigny.

The Trial of Louise Woodward tells the shocking true story of how, in 1997, an 18-year-old British au pair (Chandler) was accused of shaking to death a baby left in her care by her American host family, setting off an international media firestorm as the trial unfolds in full view of both the British and American public.

Laurie plays Judge Hiller B. Zobel, of the Massachusetts Superior Court, who presided over the murder trial. As previously announced, Froggatt plays Louise’s mother, Susan, with Fahy and Radia as Deborah and Sunil Eappen — parents of the victim, Matthew Eappen. Sevigny plays Louise’s defense attorney, Elaine Whitfield Sharp.

Barry wrote the series, serves as showrunner and is exec producing alongside Susanne Bier, who directs all episodes, as well as Frank Spotnitz, Emily Feller, Tobi de Graaff, and Antoine Douaihy. Big Light Productions and Anton TV are the production companies.

Perhaps best known for starring in Fox’s medical drama House, Laurie will next be seen starring opposite Amy Poehler in the new Peacock comedy Dig from Parks and Recreation‘s Mike Schur. Adapted from Kate Myers’ bestselling novel Excavations, the series premieres November 23. He’s also the EP & star of Apple TV’s The Wanted Man, a thriller from Hijack and Lupin creator George Kay that premieres January 6.

After earning a Golden Globe and his seventh Emmy nom for his work in the John Le Carré series The Night Manager, he’s set to return to Le Carré’s world opposite Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam in the forthcoming limited series Legacy of Spies from BBC and MGM+. He is represented by WME, Hamilton Hodell and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.