The shows and films we're most excited about this year are being put on hiatus amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes. But The Gray House, an upcoming Civil War spy series produced by Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman, has managed to squeak by and resume filming.
The six-part series tells the true story of three unsung heroines who risked life and limb to tip the Civil War in favor of the North. The women operated a covert spy ring in plain view of an unwitting Confederacy and were personally thanked by Union General Ulysses S. Grant for the pivotal role they played in America's bloodiest conflict. The trio is comprised of a Richmond Socialite, an emancipated former slave, and a courtesan. The cast list has not been released and there is no word on whether Costner or Freeman will appear in the series.
The original script has been penned by Leslie Greif, Darrell Fetty, and Oscar-nominated John Sayles. Oscar-nominated Roland Joffe is directing.
The series was handed an interim agreement to resume filming despite the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike. The Gray House is the most high-profile series to land an agreement from SAG-AFTRA thus far.
More than 60 films and series have been given the green light amid the picketing, including Apple TV+'s Tehran, Warner Bros.' The Watchers, Glenn Close's The Summer Book, and A24 films Mother Mary and I Dream Of Unicorns.
The reason why some series are given the go-ahead while others remain in limbo is complicated. SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland told Deadline the decisions reflect "the complexity and the business relationships and structures in this industry."
He added, "If there are AMPTP connections to the project, then [waivers] won't be [granted]. That's the big-picture answer. Everyone needs to be investigated and evaluated individually because obviously the question of 'Are there AMPTP fingerprints or connections to the project?' is a very specific question. That means it takes a few days to a week depending on volume, maybe a little more for us to evaluate whether a project can receive an interim agreement."
