Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: Melissa George has been tapped as the lead in the BBC-Cinemax spy thriller series Nemesis aka Morton, which was created by former X-Files executive producer Frank Spotnitz. BBC One commissioned eight episodes of the project back in January, with Cinemax recently coming on board. Cinemax will co-produce Nemesis with BBC and the UK’s Shine-owned production company Kudos Film and Television, in association with Big Light. In the vein of Bourne Identity, Nemesis is a suspense thriller set in the world of international espionage. It centers on a highly skilled operative (George) for an elite private intelligence firm who survives an attempt on her life that might have been orchestrated by members of her own team. Once she returns to the firm, she must perform her secretive duties without knowing who to trust and who wants her dead. In addition to writing, Spotnitz is executive producing Nemesis with Kudos’ Stephen Garrett, Jane Featherstone and Alison Jackson. S.J. Clarkson will direct the first two episodes of the series, which will start production this fall in Europe and North Africa.

A show about a butt-kicking female spy is a familiar territory for George, who co-starred on ABC’s Alias. She recently wrapped A&E’s upcoming miniseries Bag of Bones, based on Stephen King’s book, in which she co-stars opposite Pierce Brosnan. George, repped by ICM, UK agent Vic Murray and 3 Arts, also co-starred on the drama series In Treatment, which aired on Cinemax’s sister network HBO and earned her a Golden Globe nomination. Nemesis is Spotnitz’s second Cinemax series. He also co-wrote with British TV writer Richard Zadjlic the action drama Strike Back, Cinemax’s first original primetime series, which launched last month.

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