FX has found its next leading man.
Weeds alum Justin Kirk has been tapped to star in the cable network's drama pilot Tyrant, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Tyrant hails from Homeland's Howard Gordon and Gideon Raff as well as Six Feet Under's Craig Wright. The drama revolves around an unassuming American Family -- Barry, Molly and their kids -- who are drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation.
STORY: 'Homeland' Producers Howard Gordon, Gideon Raff Sell Middle East Drama to FX
Kirk will play John Tucker, a sexy, decadent and mysterious American diplomat with a hidden agenda.
Raff is set to write the pilot and executive produce alongside Wright and Gordon. David Yates will direct the pilot for Fox 21. FX landed the project in December following a three-way cable bidding war. Raff created and single-handedly wrote every episode of Hatufim, the Israeli series that inspired Showtime's Emmy winning drama Homeland.
For Kirk, the project marks his return to cable following his eight-season run on Showtime's Weeds. He last starred on NBC's short-lived comedy Animal Practice. Repped by UTA, Management 360 and attorney PJ Shapiro, his credits also include an arc on Modern Family and starring in HBO's adaptation of Angels in America, which earned him Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations.
FX is high on Tyrant, with CEO John Landgraf telling reporters in March that a writing staff had already been assembled for the drama, with additional scripts already in the works.
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
