Alexander Skarsgard has signed on to star in the CBS All Access limited event series, The Stand. Skarsgard will play Randall Flagg, the main villain in Stephen King’s bestselling novel.
CBS All Access offered the following description of Randall Flagg: “Also known as ‘the Dark Man,’ his unsettling and ever-changing presence is the embodiment of pure evil. Like Mother Abagail (Whoopi Goldberg), Flagg appears in plague survivors’ dreams but, unlike her divine messaging, his ultimate goal is far more sinister…”
The announcement of the final major player in the series was made to coincide with the limited series’ start of production in Vancouver.
Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood, Big Little Lies) joins a cast that includes James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, Jovan Adepo, Owen Teague, Henry Zaga, and Brad William Henke.
Josh Boone and Ben Cavell wrote the limited series and are executive producing, with Boone also directing. Stephen King is penning a final chapter for the series that isn’t included in his bestselling novel. Roy Lee, Jimmy Miller, and Richard P. Rubinstein are also executive producing, and Knate Lee, Jill Killington and Owen King are on board as producers.
The Stand Synopsis:
“The Stand is Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.”
Cast and Character Details, Courtesy of CBS All Access:
- Whoopi Goldberg will portray Mother Abagail, a prophet who receives visions from God and guides survivors of the superflu.
- Jovan Adepo will play Larry Underwood, a young musician with a taste for fame, as well as illegal substances. When the plague hits, he is forced to confront his demons as he makes his way to the new world.
- Owen Teague will portray Harold Lauder. After the superflu ravages his town, Harold goes in search of others with fellow survivor Frannie Goldsmith. While his intentions are good, jealousy and his infatuation with Frannie threaten to lead him down a dark path.
- Brad William Henke will portray Tom Cullen, Nick Andros’ traveling companion who is developmentally disabled due to a terrible fall as a child. A sweet soul, he will be instrumental in their fight for survival.
- Daniel Sunjata will play Cobb, a member of the military tasked with supervising Stu Redman as the government searches for a cure during the outbreak of the superflu.
- James Marsden will portray Stu Redman, an ordinary working-class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior.
- Amber Heard will play Nadine Cross, a deeply conflicted woman who feels the consequences of her actions, but is still compelled by her allegiance to Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
- Odessa Young will play Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world, who also has the foresight to recognize that there is evil lurking beyond the Dark Man.
- Henry Zaga will portray Nick Andros, a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens. He has a habit of risking his own well-being for the safety of others.