John Lithgow Stars As Buzz Aldrin In New iHeartPodcasts Drama ‘Buzz’ From Thoroughbred Studios
EXCLUSIVE: John Lithgow will play Buzz Aldrin in a new podcast drama created by Stephen Kronish (24). Buzz will tell the story of the famous astronaut’s life and also get into the highs and lows of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission.
Lithgow will narrate Buzz and be the voice of Aldrin as he reflects on his life and career. It is for iHeartPodcasts, which produces alongside Thoroughbred Studios, the new label established by heavyweight media vets Jeff Bewkes, Howard Stringer and Jeremy Fox, per Deadline’s scoop. John Scott Dryden (Passenger List) directs Buzz and his Goldhawk Productions is a co-producer.
The 11-part series is billed as a human drama with Aldrin at its core. The story unfolds as Aldrin faces up to his own frailties. Lithgow narrates and voices the modern-day Aldrin. Geoffrey Arend (Madam Secretary) plays the titular astronaut during the Apollo 11 era.
Lithgow’s dance card is chock full, having just taken a role as Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. His recent movie roles include Conclave and he is currently on stage in London’s West End, playing Roald Dahl in Giant, for which he won a Best Actor Oliver Award.
In the trailer for Buzz, which Deadline can exclusively share, Lithgow teases what listeners can expect. “That’s the story you think you know,” he says as reports of the Moon landing play in the background. “This is the story you don’t. We’ll see Buzz face his frailties, overcome demons, triumph over addiction and become a true hero… not because he has conquered space, but because he has conquered himself.”
Check it out in the link below.
Speaking about the series, former Time Warner CEO and Chairman, Bewkes said: “Today, billionaires are the new champions of the space race. Buzz pays homage to the original trailblazers who risked their lives to go to the Moon.”
Dropping on May 6, the team behind the podcast said they wanted to pierce the layers of a saga that’s been shrouded in myth.
“John Lithgow gives an extraordinary performance, taking us into the mind of Apollo 11’s most enigmatic character, Buzz Aldrin, who came back to earth to face an even greater challenge than going to the Moon,” said Dryden, the Director. “A story few of us know, Buzz is an immersive space drama in audio that puts the listener at the heart of the action.”
Buzz is the first of several projects that iHeart and Thoroughbred will work up together. “This is a perfect start to our partnership with iHeart,” Bewkes said, alluding to a two-year development deal that will see the pair collaborate on at least four drama podcasts rooted in monumental events from contemporary American history.
“Buzz marks an exciting step forward in our partnership with Thoroughbred Studios to reimagine monumental moments in American history through top-tier talent and exceptional production,” added Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “As we grow our slate of narrative audio series, we hope to give listeners powerful new ways to connect with history in an immersive and engaging format.”
