Showtime’s new series, The Loudest Voice, is based on the bestselling book about Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News.
In the seven part limited series, to understand the events that led to the rise of the modern Republican party, one must understand Ailes. Focusing primarily on the past decade in which Ailes arguably became the party’s de facto leader, the series also touches on defining events in Ailes’ life, including his experiences with world leaders that gave birth to his political career, and the sexual harassment accusations and settlements that brought his Fox News reign to an end.
Russell Crowe plays Roger Ailes, who is the former founder and head of Fox News Channel and built the most successful cable news operation the country has ever seen. Brilliant, tenacious and combative, he moulds his platform into the mouthpiece for his beloved Republican Party and staunch conservative values. Roger is both bully and charmer, standing atop the media landscape for years until the revelations of his demeaning and sexualised treatment of women leads to his downfall.
Gretchen Carlson (Naomi Watts) is the former morning star of Fox News Channel’s top rated “Fox and Friends,” this former Miss America has the looks and personality that Roger Ailes covets for his network. But when she asserts herself in pursuit of her ambition, she’s exposed to the dark underbelly of her boss, forcing her to question how far she’ll go to get what she wants.
Sienna Miller plays Beth Ailes, Roger Ailes’ wife who is twenty years his junior, a pretty blonde in the mold that Roger likes. She sets aside her own promising news career to be with Roger, and devotes herself to keeping his home, raising his son, and championing his conservative causes. Roger’s confidante, Elizabeth is a power behind the throne.
Brian Lewis (Seth MacFarlane) is a brash young executive whom Roger poaches to head up PR at Fox News in the 1990’s (who is no longer in this role at FOX News). Brian Lewis was an eager participant in Roger’s vision of what Fox News Channel should be and fully embraced Roger’s dictum to “let PR be the engine of Fox News Channel,” Brian uses the dark arts of PR to further Roger’s every demand.
Annabelle Wallis plays Laurie Luhn, an ambitious woman who rises to former Head of Booking at Fox News Channel, Laurie is Roger’s long-time mistress. Even as the pressure of continuing the relationship she comes to abhor threatens to destroy her, she struggles to resist Roger’s abusive hold over her.
Judy Laterza (Aleksa Palladino) is Roger’s long-time assistant is loyal and devoted to her boss, and always by his side with whatever he needs, often before he even knows he needs it. She is plain and mild-mannered, definitely not Roger’s type, but nothing her boss does or says escapes her watchful gaze.
Starring Russell Crowe (Les Misérables), Naomi Watts (King Kong), Sienna Miller (American Sniper), Seth MacFarlane (The Orville), Annabelle Wallis (The Mummy 2017), and Aleksa Palladino (Boardwalk Empire).
The Loudest Voice premieres June 30th at 10pm on Showtime.
