Christopher Walken joins cast of Apple TV+ exclusive 'Severance'

AppleInsider

Christopher Walken has joined the cast of Apple TV+ drama "Severance," with the Oscar winner committed to the project alongside other big names like John Turturro and Patricia Arquette.

Source: Deadline

Produced and directed by Ben Stiller, "Severance" is a workplace thriller drama set at Lumen Industries. The company seeks to fundamentally alter the work-life balance of its customers through a "severance procedure" that separates work and out-of-work memories.

Walken will play Burt, Head of Optics and Design at Lumen Industries, reports Deadline. The role is a lead part, with Walken joining fellow co-stars Adam Scott, Patricia Arquette, Tramell Tillman, Jen Tullock, Zach Cherry, Britt Lower and John Turturro.

The story appears to focus around Scott's character Mark, who is described as an employee with a dark past. Arquette plays Mark's boss, while Turturro stars as a dependable Lumen Industries employee. Turturro's involvement was reported last week.

Dan Erickson is credited as the show's creator and will write and executive produce. Chris Black is also tapped as an executive producer alongside Nicky Weinstock and Jackie Cohn. Endeavor Content is named as a producer along with Scott and Arquette.

Apple is slowly building out its Apple TV+ stable with original shows and purchased content. Most recently, it was announced that Apple landed a multi-year deal that has former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart covering current events.

mobird

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

lkrupp

mobird said:

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

Production company.

mobird

lkrupp said:

mobird said:

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

Production company.

And then Apple purchases or license for broadcast from the production company?

So none of these actors have been "signed" by Apple as the article implies?

And a talent like Jon Stewart would most likely not work directly for Apple, Apple would negotiate with Stewart's management company?

edited November 2020

22july2013

Virtually all actors have agents, and I expect that all agents have legal signing authority to commit the actor to a project. Last I heard, Bill Murray does not have an agent so he has to sign on his own behalf, as a result he doesn't have to pay his agent (maximum 10% in New York, maximum 25% in California) but on the other hand Murray rarely gets parts worthy of himself.

I would note that an agency's cut of 25% would be less than Apple's cut of 30% for apps on the App Store.

rayz2016

mobird said:

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

The production company. Apple didn’t sign anyone to anything. 

mobird

Rayz2016 said:

mobird said:

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

The production company. Apple didn’t sign anyone to anything. 

That's what I thought.

TV+ is a damn streaming service owned by a tech company. Not a Hollywood talent agency.

After reading this article as well as recalling other articles re: TV+ and Apple "signing" this actor, and that actor and thinking to myself, AI sure wants to project that Apple is doing the signing directly and in some twisted rationale that the actors are Apple employees.

VarietyInsider - All things TV+. Another Hollywood gossip rag.

Ah, the lights of Hollywood-still can make people do and say crazy things.

beats

These are Apple exclusive productions so it doesn't matter how they got them.

lkrupp

mobird said:

Rayz2016 said:

mobird said:

Are these actors actually working for Apple or working for the production company?

The production company. Apple didn’t sign anyone to anything. 

That's what I thought.

TV+ is a damn streaming service owned by a tech company. Not a Hollywood talent agency.

After reading this article as well as recalling other articles re: TV+ and Apple "signing" this actor, and that actor and thinking to myself, AI sure wants to project that Apple is doing the signing directly and in some twisted rationale that the actors are Apple employees.

VarietyInsider - All things TV+. Another Hollywood gossip rag.

Ah, the lights of Hollywood-still can make people do and say crazy things.

Well, Apple DOES decide who it contracts with to produce a show/movie. So it’s likely the producers of Severance made sure Apple was on board with the actors they hire as Apple supplies the MONEY to the project. And by the way, nowhere in the article does it say Apple “signed” anyone. It says Walken and others “joined” the cast. So what’s your problem anyway?

edited November 2020

nicholfd

22july2013 said:

I would note that an agency's cut of 25% would be less than Apple's cut of 30% for apps on the App Store.

And this is related in what way?  Talent agencies are very different jobs than creating, curating & running an App Store.

spamsandwich

Ben Stiller and Christopher Walken? That might be worth watching.

22july2013

nicholfd said:

22july2013 said:

I would note that an agency's cut of 25% would be less than Apple's cut of 30% for apps on the App Store.

And this is related in what way?  Talent agencies are very different jobs than creating, curating & running an App Store.

Thanks for responding. I know they do different things. I just thought some people underestimated how much an agency takes. They can take almost as much as Apple, and yet they do a lot more. People don't realize how much the middle-man takes, and how much work they do for it.