Starz and FremantleMedia North America announced today that Sean Harris (PROMETHEUS; pictured above) has been cast as Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki (Aquarius; pictured below) as Bilquis and Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) as Technical Boy in the upcoming adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel, American Gods. The series begins shooting next month.
Harris plays Mad Sweeney, a down on his luck leprechaun, who is having a hard time understanding how he lost his charm and way. Always up for a good fight, Sweeney is never deprived while in the employment of Mr. Wednesday.
Badaki plays Bilquis, an ancient goddess of love who craves the worship she inspired in eras long gone, and who is eager to find that same relevance in today’s world.
Langley will play Technical Boy, a New God who is purveyor of all things technology. Desperate to prove himself, and hungry for respect and power, he struggles to keep his impulsivity and petulance in check, making him dangerously unpredictable.
The three joins Ian McShane and Ricky Whittle in the series, which looks at…
a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.
Former Hannibal showrunner Bryan Fuller is overseeing American Gods, while David Slade (Hannibal, HARD CANDY) is directing the pilot and additional episodes.