New Joss Whedon Series ‘The Nevers’ Casts ‘Outlander’ Star Laura Donnelly As Lead
The newJoss Whedonseries has found its lead.The Avengersdirector is making his highly anticipated return to TV withThe Nevers, a sci-fi drama about a group of Victorian women with unusual abilities. But a Joss Whedon show is not complete without a great female lead, andThe Neverscast has found that lead inOutlander’sLaura Donnelly.
Laura Donnelly has been cast as the lead inThe Nevers, the HBO sci-fi series co-written by Whedon andBuffy the Vampire Slayeralums Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie.Deadlinebroke the news of Donnelly’s casting inThe Nevers, which will be Donnelly’s most high-profile role yet.
TheOutlanderactress has starred in a string of both genre and historical series, appearing in supporting roles inBritannia, The Fall,Merlin, and more. So she seems well-suited forThe Nevers, an epic sci-fi drama about “a gang of Victorian women who find themselves with unusual abilities, relentless enemies, and a mission that might change the world.”
Donnelly will play Amalia True, the “most reckless, impulsive, emotionally damaged hero of her time,” according to Deadline. “A menace to stuffy Victorian society, she would die for the cause and kill for a drink.” Whedon praised Donnelly’s casting, saying in a statement:
“Laura Donnelly has charisma, wisdom and an anarchic precision that not only captures Amalia but defines her. She’s fierce and she’s funny – and I need both for the journey ahead.”
Whedon directs and serves as showrunner for the series, which he executive produces alongside Espenson, Petrie and Bernie Caulfield.The Nevers, which Whedon hasdescribedas his “most ambitious narrative I’ve created,” serves as his lauded return to television after eight years, the last being the short-lived Fox sci-fi seriesDollhouse.
Whedon may be best known for shepherding the Marvel Cinematic Universe to its current glory, but his best work remains on the small screen, with groundbreaking series likeBuffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, andFireflyleaving indelible marks on the TV landscape. All of his series tested the boundaries for genre storytelling, and I can’t wait to see what he has to offer withThe Nevers, which will see him returning to longform storytelling, an area he has always excelled in. While Whedon’s brand of feminism may seem like it’s badly aged these days, I still hold to his talent as a writer and hope that with this series, he can grow with the times. Never mind that it’s set in the Victorian ages.
