And it’s no wonder the NY-based actor and producer, who is about to star in his first TV role, thinks a series on a devastating nationwide cyberattack in the US is less frightening than our current “Make [everywhere] Great Again,” political climate.
I must admit I draw the line of insanity at President Trump declaring he will “Make Gaza Great Again.” But I won’t get into the details here.
Onto Zero Day, which is an upcoming limited series on Netflix starring and produced by the great Robert De Niro. The series was created by Griselda and Narco showrunner Eric Newman and former NBC News president and Jackie writer Noah Oppenheim. It also stars Jesse Plemons, Lizzy Caplan, Connie Britton, Joan Allen, Bill Camp, Dan Stevens, McKinley Belcher III, with Matthew Modine and Angela Bassett, and guest stars Clark Gregg and Gaby Hoffmann.
According to the Netflix synopsis, De Niro plays “respected former U.S. President George Mullen, who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyber attack that has caused chaos around the country and thousands of fatalities. As disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambition of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide, Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.”
It is written and executive produced by Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim, with Lesli Linka Glatter as executive producer and director of all six episodes. Michael S. Schmidt also serves as writer and executive producer, with De Niro and Jonathan Glickman as executive producers.
“Zero Day is about the aftermath of a devastating cyberattack that kills thousands of people and threatens to push a nation already on the precipice over the edge,” Newman told Netflix’s Tudum, while Oppenheim added, “The show also looks at the cost of power for those who are asked to take on these enormous challenges — what it means for them personally, and what it means for their families.”
De Niro told Netflix: “Right now, our actual world is scarier,” and he may just be right, yet again. It is no accident that he’s taken on a TV role at this point in his illustrious career and Newman admitted, also in the Tudum piece that the actor “very much became our partner in this process — very hands-on, very involved, read everything at every stage, and it’s been an incredible honor and privilege — you can count on one hand the actors and actresses in history who bring this level of gravitas, pedigree, and talent to their work.”
“In an era rife with conspiracy theories and subterfuge, how many of those forces are of our own making?”
What we have seen so far of the series is the trailer, above, and a sneak peak, see below at the opening scene of episode one, which sees De Niro frantically trying to hide a photo of himself, flanked by two other men, in his home safe, while someone pounds at his door, attempting to enter the room. It’s intriguing, to say the least.
A bit more information I can share about the limited series I’ve gathered from Tudum. Zero Day “stars De Niro as respected former President George Mullen, who, as head of the Zero Day Commission, is charged with finding the perpetrators of a devastating cyberattack that caused chaos and thousands of fatalities across the country. Disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambitions of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide. Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.”
The series “asks the question on everyone’s mind: How do we find truth in a world in crisis, one seemingly torn apart by forces outside our control? And in an era rife with conspiracy theories and subterfuge, how many of those forces are of our own making — maybe even our own imagining?”
De Niro admitted connecting to his character Mullen’s ethos — to just tell it straight: “That’s the spine of my character in the show,” said De Niro on Tudum. “Don’t dodge anything. Don’t play games. Be honest about what’s going on so that the public knows what’s going on.”
To see the full details of the cast and the characters they play, check out this Netflix link. What I can say here is that Angela Bassett plays Evelyn Mitchell, the current US president, who is a brilliant and perceptive political tactician. She hires Mullen to take on an unprecedented role in American history.
And Golden Globes nominee Jesse Plemons plays Roger Carlson, George Mullen’s former aide. Roger is now a trusted fixer and an unabashed hustler who’s seeking a return to the national stage alongside Mullen.
Zero Day will premiere February 20th on Netflix. Stay tuned for more info and sneak peaks.
All images and quotes courtesy of Netflix.