MGM+ is producing a limited series for George R. Stewart’s Earth Abides (not to be confused with Game of Thrones‘ George R. R. Martin), and the latest casting news personally has us (read: me) in shambles. Aaron Tveit won’t just be returning to the Al Hirschfeld Theatre to reprise his role as Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, but he’ll also be joining the cast of Earth Abides.
According to Deadline: “Tveit will play Charlie, the handsome leader of a new group of travelers. A natural charmer, he hides a threatening nature that only Ish (Ludwig) seems to be able to see. In Earth Abides, when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out. In the aftermath, as the great machine of civilization slowly and inexorably breaks down, only a few shattered survivors remain to struggle against the slide into extinction.”
The role comes at a perfect time for Tveit because earlier this year, the actor attended the premiere of Dune 2 and voiced what a massive fan of sci-fi he is. For those who know the actor’s chops well enough, there’s no denying the fact that he’ll take on the role of Charlie with a plethora of range and depth. Plus, we can safely assume he’d read the book and give viewers pieces of character growth that’ll make the series even more fascinating.
Aaron Tveit isn’t just known for belting out emotionally charged songs, but he’s also played profoundly nuanced characters in shows like USA’s Graceland as well as CBS’ BrainDead. Though the two series are vastly different from one another, the certainty remains that Tveit’s craftsmanship allows viewers to escape through his gripping roles simultaneously.
The cast of Earth Abides also includes Alexander Ludwig (The Hunger Games), Jessica Frances Dukes (Ozark), Jenna Berman (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Luisa D’Oliveira (The 100), Elyse Levesque (The Originals), Hilary McCormack (Killjoys), Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll (Ghosts CBS), and Birkett Turton (iZombie).
The series is set to premiere in late 2024, exclusively on MGM+.