Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, and Jean Smart join the LEGION!
X-Men TV series Legion has cast three well-known actors, including its lead.
Dan Stevens, best known for his role on Downton Abbey, will star in the series as David, “a haunted man diagnosed as schizophrenic at a young age who’s trying to find his way back to sanity. He’s about to give up when he meets the girl of his dreams.” In the greater mythos, David is actually the mutant son of Professor X aka Charles Xavier, the leader of the X-Men.
Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) has been cast as David’s best friend, Lenny, who has struggled with substance abuse but finds her life on an upswing in the beginning of the series. Jean Smart (Fargo) will play David’s witty, unconventional therapist.
The three actors join Rachel Keller (Fargo), who was previously cast as David’s aforementioned dream girl, Syd.
The multiple Fargo actors involved with the project is not a coincidence– Legion showrunner Noah Hawley also helms that show.
It’s unclear as to whether or not Legion will ever feature any major X-Men characters. FOX has the rights to the X-Men movie adaptations, but those rights don’t necessarily extend into television, giving Marvel some breathing room for the show. Still, the grand plan for the show is certainly being kept under wraps.
Legion is being created for FX, though it has not yet been approved for anything more than a pilot episode.
