(May 25, 2016 – Albuquerque, NM) REELZ has announced that after an international talent search, Winnipeg-born actor Brett Donahue has been cast to play John F. Kennedy Jr. in Muse Entertainment’s original four-hour mini-series The Kennedys: After Camelot.
As the son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr. was only three years old when his father was assassinated. JFK Jr. grew up surrounded by Secret Service and faced his teen and young adult years with paparazzi and intense public interest in everything he did. Balancing personal interests and ambitions, family expectations and a nation’s dreams for a rebirth of Camelot, JFK Jr. navigated the complexities as a well-liked and respected man.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Brett Donahue in the role of John F. Kennedy Jr.,” said Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of REELZ, a leading US independent cable and satellite general entertainment network available in some 70-million homes. “Brett completes an outstanding cast as he steps into portray such a well known and respected person. We are thrilled with the fit and we’re proud to bring this story to life for our viewers.”
As previously announced, the mini-series stars Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Matthew Perry as Ted Kennedy, Alexander Siddig as Aristotle Onassis, Kristen Hager as Joan Kennedy,
with Diana Hardcastle and Kristin Booth reprising their roles as Rose and Ethel Kennedy from the Emmy Award®-winning mini-series The Kennedys.
“Our casting team looked at dozens of young actors for this iconic role before we landed on
Brett Donahue—whose final audition was absolutely riveting,” said Muse Entertainment CEO Michael Prupas.
Brett Donahue, whose work includes theatre, film and television, may be best known to American audiences from his roles in film and television productions including Total Recall (Columbia Pictures), Suits (USA Network) and Beauty and the Beast (CW/CBS).
The Kennedys: After Camelot is based on the New York Times best seller, “After Camelot: Personal History of the Kennedy Family 1968 to the Present” by best-selling author and biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. Jon Cassar (The Kennedys) and Katie Holmes are directing from scripts by Stephen Kronish (The Kennedys) and Sandra Chwialkowska (Lost Girl). The Kennedys: After Camelot project was brought to producer Muse Entertainment by Keri Selig of Intuition Productions (The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe) who serves as an executive producer. Michael Prupas, Katie Holmes, Matthew Perry, Jon Cassar, Stephen Kronish, J. Randy Taraborrelli, Evan Tussman, Irene Litinsky and Jonas Prupas also serve as executive producers. Also serving as executive producers are Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of REELZ, and Jonathan Koch and Steve Michaels of Asylum Entertainment.
Muse Distribution International is handling all international distribution.
