Notorious Centers on the Symbiotic Relationship Between Charismatic Defense Attorney Jake

NOTORIOUS S1

Press Kit

OVERVIEW

Notorious centers on the symbiotic relationship between charismatic defense attorney Jake Gregorian (Daniel Sunjata) and powerhouse TV producer Julia George (Piper Perabo), as they attempt to control the media, the justice system and ultimately each other.

Jake and Julia’s relationship is inspired by the real-life friendship between famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and award-winning cable news producer Wendy Walker. Their professional alliance has influenced some of America’s most infamous moments in recent history.

When Jake’s clients find themselves in the nation’s spotlight, he uses the media to sway public opinion. Meanwhile, Julia, the executive producer of Louise Herrick Live (LHL), the number-one TV news program in the country, capitalizes on Jake’s clients’ notoriety. Together, they make great TV and determine the nation’s headlines.

In Notorious, everyone’s motives are suspect and morality is subjective. Meanwhile, the people surrounding Jake and Julia seek to advance their own professional and personal agendas.

Louise Herrick (Kate Jennings Grant) is the brilliant host of LHL, whose behind-the-scenes antics cause trouble wherever she goes; LHL’s junior producer, Megan Byrd (Sepideh Moafi), is a street-smart journalism school grad responsible for scheduling and managing guests. Julia’s eager-to-please production assistant and son of the network president, Ryan Mills (Ryan Guzman), will do whatever it takes to climb the ladder at LHL. Jake’s brother and law partner, Bradley Gregorian (J. August Richards) is an alpha male whose focus on justice conflicts with Jake’s objectives. Ella Benjamin (Aimee Teegarden) is fresh out of law school and loyal to a fault. When billionaire playboy and social media mogul Oscar Keaton (Kevin Zegers) is accused of fleeing a crime scene, he turns to Jake for help.

While Jake and Julia manipulate the nation’s headlines, either in concert or in conflict, they will do almost anything to achieve their respective endgames. But they do abide by one rule: they never lie to each other. While the ends may justify the means, their relationship always comes first. Together, they show how the nation’s tastemakers create heroes and villains, sometimes by turning myth into reality.

CAST

PIPER PERABO

Julia George

Golden Globe-nominated Piper Perabo is one of the most talented and versatile actresses working today. She recently starred as Annie Walker in all five seasons of USA Network’s spy drama Covert Affairs.

In May 2009, she made her stage debut in Neil Labute’s controversial play Reasons to Be Pretty, directed by Terry Kinney. She co-stared alongside Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski and Pablo Schreiber. In fall 2015, Perabo returned to the stage in the MCC Theater’s off-Broadway production of Lost Girls.

Although new to the theater, she is no stranger to the screen. In 2007, she was seen in Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige, with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale; in Because I Said So, with Diane Keaton and Lauren Graham; and in First Snow, a film directed by Mark Fergus, co-starring Guy Pearce and Adam Scott.

Next, Perabo was seen in John Glenn’s disturbing thriller The Heaven Project, with Paul Walker, and Disney’s Beverly Hills Chihuahua, alongside Jamie Lee Curtis.

Perabo was also seen in Paramount Vantage’s Carriers in New Mexico.She played the female lead, opposite Chris Pine and Lou Taylor Pucci, in the post-apocalyptic thriller about four friends trying to escape a viral pandemic.

Shortly after, Perabo starred alongside Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels in the sci-fi action film Looper.

Some of her other film credits include Adam Shankman’s Cheaper by the Dozen 2, in which she reprised her role as the eldest daughter to Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, along with the romantic comedy Imagine Me & You, with Lena Headey and Matthew Goode, and the crime drama 10th & Wolf, with an ensemble cast that included James Marsden and Dennis Hopper.

Her feature film debut was in the comedy White Boyz, written by Danny Hoch. She also starred in Coyote Ugly.

Outside of her work on screen and stage, Perabo became an IRC (International Rescue Committee) Voice to raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Europe and help those displaced by conflict, religious persecution and political oppression around the globe.

Perabo lives in New York City.

DANIEL SUNJATA

Jake Gregorian

Sunjata is best known for his portrayal of firefighter Franco Rivera in the critically acclaimed series Rescue Me, opposite Denis Leary for seven seasons. In 2006, Sunjata portrayed fashion designer James Holt in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Devil Wears Prada, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, and in the romantic comedy Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, alongside Jennifer Garner and Matthew McConaughey.

Sunjata’s additional film credits include Bad Company, which starred Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock, the 2004 Woody Allen film Melinda and Melinda, opposite Will Ferrell, and Noel, starring Penelope Cruz and Susan Sarandon. Sunjata garnered rave reviews for his portrayal of Langston Hughes in the 2004 Rodney Evans film Brother to Brother, as well as legendary baseball player Reggie Jackson in the TV series The Bronx Is Burning. Sunjata’s other television credits include notable appearances on Love Monkey, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Sex and the City, the film Feast of All Saints, and a starring role alongside Andie MacDowell in At Risk and The Front – two movies adapted from the novels of America’s number-one best-selling crime writer Patricia Cornwell.

Sunjata’s repertoire is not only limited to film and television. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Darren Lemming in Take Me Out, the 2003 Tony Award-winning play by Richard Greenberg. He has also appeared in Henry VIII at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Twelfth Night at the Guthrie Theater and Cyrano de Bergerac, opposite Kevin Kline, at the Richard Rodgers Theatre. Sunjata was also named one of Peoplemagazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in 2003.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Sunjata was raised in Chicago and graduated from Mount Carmel High School. He did his undergraduate studies at Florida A&M University and the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and received his master’s degree in fine arts from New York University.

Sunjata has also starred opposite Katherine Heigl in One for the Money, in the independent drama Gone, opposite Amanda Seyfried, and in the massive blockbuster hit The Dark Knight Rises, opposite Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway. He also starred in 2014’s Lullaby, alongside Amy Adams and Terrence Howard.

More recently, Sunjata is known for his portrayal as FBI Agent Paul Briggs on USA Network’s hit hour-long drama series Graceland.

Sunjata currently resides in Los Angeles.

KATE JENNINGS GRANT

Louise Herrick

Kate Jennings Grant portrays Louise Herrick, the brilliant host of Louise Herrick Live (LHL), the number-one TV news program in the country, whose behind-the-scenes antics cause trouble wherever she goes.

She comes to Notorious directly from Broadway, where she most recently starred in the Tony-nominated revival of Noises Off, alongside Megan Hilty and Andrea Martin.

Grant has built an extensive resume balanced between projects in theater, film and television.Her stage career in New York has included leading roles on Broadway in The Lyons, opposite Linda Lavin; Proof, with Neil Patrick Harris; and Donald Margulies’ most recent drama, The Country House, alongside her current Notorious co-star Daniel Sunjata.

On the big screen, Grant appeared in Paul Greengrass’ Oscar-nominated film United 93, Ed Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Sundance Grand Jury nominee Forgiven, Bill Condon’s Kinsey, and she portrayed Diane Sawyer in Ron Howard’s Oscar-nominated film Frost/Nixon. Her television credits include Showtime’s Billions, Madam Secretary, The Good Wife, Elementary, as well as recurring roles on Damages, Amazon’s Alpha House and Parenthood.

Born in New Jersey and raised in Connecticut, Grant was an avid pianist growing up and dreamed of being a professional accompanist and music director.Her high school choir teacher encouraged her to try performing, so she auditioned for the school’s musical Guys and Dolls and was cast in the leading role of Sarah Brown, a part she would eventually play on Broadway opposite Lauren Graham, Craig Bierko and Oliver Platt.Grant received her B.A. in English and music composition from the University of Pennsylvania, and she is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Drama.

A longtime New York resident, Kate will be splitting her time between New York and Los Angeles.

AIMEE TEEGARDEN

Ella Benjamin

Aimee Teegarden plays book-smart attorney Ella Benjamin, who works at the Gregorian & Gregorian law firm. Fresh out of law school, Ella is a straight shooter and zealous about getting ahead in her career.

A California native, Teegarden began her acting career at just ten years old. When she was 16, she was cast in her first television series on the Emmy-nominated Friday Night Lights, playing Julie Taylor, the daughter of a high school head football coach (Kyle Chandler) and a high school guidance counselor (Connie Britton). In 2014, she starred in the science fiction romantic drama series Star-Crossed.

She will soon be seen in the Paramount film Rings, which will be in theaters in the fall of 2016.Her previous film credits include Scream 4, Love and Honor and Disney’s Prom.

She is an avid fitness enthusiast, competing in the 2016 Chicago Spartan Race, and she ran a half marathon with Team Nike. She is on the host committee of the ocean conservation organization Oceana and an advocate for No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA), an initiative of the Best Friends Animal Society to end the overpopulation of dogs and cats in L.A. city shelters.

J. AUGUST RICHARDS

Bradley Gregorian

J. August Richards portrays high-powered defense attorney Bradley Gregorian, who, along with his brother, Jake Gregorian (Daniel Sunjata), inherited their father’s law firm where they represent the rich and powerful using the media to exonerate their clients in the court of public opinion.

Richards has created a diverse and wide-ranging body of work over the last 20 years, starting with the vampire hunter Charles Gunn in the cult hit series Angel.

In Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Richards continued to display his range as the down-on-his-luck, single father Mike Peterson who would eventually turn into the iconic Marvel superhero Deathlok. An avid childhood collector of comic books, Richards describes his role as “a full circle moment. A dream come true.”

While playing Deathlok, Richards began a recurring role on Bravo TV’s first original scripted series Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce as Ford – the fashion-forward, married, gay father of two. Additionally, he has a recurring role on Grey’s Anatomy as the young Dr. Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and has played the Deputy Secretary of State on the short-lived Lifetime series The Lottery.

Previously having series regular roles as prosecuting attorneys on the NBC series Conviction (executive produced by Dick Wolf) and the TNT series Raising the Bar (created by Steven Bochco), Richards is excited to be “crossing the aisle” and playing a powerhouse defense attorney this time around.

His family emigrated from Panama to the United States where Richards was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Bladensburg, Maryland. He discovered his love for acting at an early age and enrolled in a performing arts high school, appearing in several plays each year. Determined to move to Los Angeles to become an actor, he applied to only one college: the University of Southern California. He was not only accepted but won numerous scholarships and grants to complete his B.F.A. in theater.

After graduation, Richards began working steadily in film, television and theater. He first won recognition and rave reviews for his role in the production of Space at the Mark Taper Forum, playing a rapping bike messenger who believes he is an alien abductee. Richards also received accolades for his performance in the Old Globe Theater’s production of Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero.

On the big screen, Richards appeared in the feature films Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Good Burger and Paved With Good Intentions. He also starred in the TV movies The Temptations, Critical Assembly and Mutiny.

Richards wrote and directed the buzzworthy short film Privacy Policy, which he describes as Enemy of the State meets The Sixth Sense. He is also writing and directing the upcoming web series The Hypnotist, which he describes as “psychological fiction.”

In his free time, Richards enjoys traveling and documenting his trips on social media where fans have dubbed him “The Gentleman Tweeter.”

SEPIDEH MOAFI

Megan Byrd

Sepideh Moafi stars as Megan Byrd, a street-smart journalism school grad responsible for scheduling and managing guests on Louise Herrick Live (LHL), the number-one TV news program in the country.

Sepideh will also recur in David Simon and George Pelecanos’The Deuce on HBO, opposite James Franco and Maggie Gyllenhaal, set to premiere in 2017. Sepideh is best known for her major recurring arc on ABC’s Black Box, starring Kelly Reilly. Notable guest credits include Elementary, The Blacklist, Nurse Jackie, BlueBloods, Limitless, Forever, Unforgettable and The Good Wife.

She will star in the Independent feature Quest, opposite Dash Mihok, Betsy Brandt and Lou Diamond Phillips. She was also a lead in the award-winning feature Best Man in the Dark.

After a successful showcase from the M.F.A. acting program at UC Irvine, Sepideh moved to New York City and immediately began working in television and film.Sepideh was born in Germany and is of Iranian descent.

Sepideh has performed a wide range of roles at leading theaters across the country, notably as Rosalind in As You LikeIt, Juliet in Romeo & Juliet, Luisa in TheFantasticks and the title-role in an adaptation of Hecuba, by Mihai Maniutiu. She has been part of the development of new works at The Public Theater, Atlantic Theater Co., LABrynth and New Dramatists.As a singer, she has performed in operas, concerts and recitals around the world, including Davis Symphony Hall and The Kennedy Center.

Sepideh is bicoastal and splits her time between New York City and Los Angeles.

RYAN GUZMAN

Ryan Mills

Ryan Guzman portrays Ryan Mills, an eager-to-please production assistant and son of the network president, who will do whatever it takes to climb the ladder at Louise Herrick Live (LHL), the number-one TV news program in the country.

Born in Texas and raised in his hometown of Sacramento, Guzman never thought of becoming an actor, much less a professional dancer. At the age of seven, he developed an interest in martial arts and earned his first black belt in tae kwon do by the age of ten. This led him into the octagon as a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter in Sacramento until his fighting license expired in 2010. A gifted athlete, he was also a sought-after left-handed pitcher with a fastball clocked between 87–90 miles per hour. A shoulder injury ended this career dream while Guzman was still a teenager, which transitioned later into a career in print modeling and then acting.

Guzman worked successfully in San Francisco, starting with LOOK Modeling Agency at the age of 18, and later in Los Angeles, he joined the esteemed Wilhelmina Agency at 22 years old. Guzman has since starred in television commercials for Old Navy, Gillette, Candies and Oprah Winfrey Network. He has modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch, Affliction and Reebok, among others.

After success in modeling, Guzman signed on with a talent manager and went into the audition process as a professional actor. A few short months later, he booked the male lead for the film Step Up Revolution (Lionsgate).

He followed the success of the film with another lead in the indie film Beyond Paradise and supporting roles in the indie films There’s Always Woodstock, directed by Rita Merson, and April Rain, directed by Luciano Saber. After the international success of Step Up Revolution, Ryan reprised his role as Sean in Step Up: All In alongside fan-favorite female from the past films, Briana Evigan. The film was directed by Trish Sie.

Recently, Ryan was seen as the male lead opposite Jennifer Lopez in the Universal Studios thriller The Boy Next Door. Helmed by Paranormal producer Jason Blum and director Rob Cohen, the film centered on Ryan’s character, a teenage boy who lived next to Lopez’s character.