Back in November, we first heard about the developing Showtime series Masters of Sex, a show about the highly progressive gynecologist Dr. William Masters and sexologist/psychologist Dr. Virginia Johnson, who pioneered studies on human sexuality. For a while, film actor Paul Bettany was on board in the Dr. Masters role, with Dr. Johnson uncast. Just last month, we got news that Bettany had dropped out of the project—still no word as to why. But we’re not too broken up over it, because the two actors who have been brought in as the show’s new lead players are amazing. Masters of Sex is welcoming Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan to star.
Vampire-fanatics will recognize Sheen’s name right away. He has starred in both the Twilight Saga films as Aro and the Underworld films as Lucien. Additionally, Sheen played reporter David Frost, one of the titular duo in the celebrated film Frost/Nixon. In the realm of television, Sheen stole the show as Tina Fey’s “settling soul mate” Wesley on 30 Rock. Sheen is replacing Bettany as Dr. Masters, and is acting as a producer on Masters of Sex.
Caplan has quite an established TV background herself. Known best, perhaps, for her sardonic starring role on the incredible Starz comedy Party Down, she has also had recurring roles on Freaks and Geeks, True Blood (considering this, Sheen’s film history, and Bettany’s starring role in Priest, this show has been working hard to forge some serious vampire connections) and New Girl. Caplan is signed on to play Dr. Johnson.
The project is dervied from Thomas Maier’s book Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, The Couple Who Taught America How to Love.
Click the above image to see more photos of Lizzy Caplan.
Source: TVLine
