In HBO’s “War,” everyone has a case to make, and almost no one is playing nice. Dominic West (“The Crown,” “The Wire”) and Sienna Miller (“Anatomy of a Scandal”) lead the new eight-episode legal drama as a tech entrepreneur and movie star, respectively, whose crumbling marriage pits two rival London law firms against each other. Created by “Lupin” and “Hijack” writer George Kay, Season 1 premiered Oct. 1 on HBO and HBO Max, with new episodes dropping every Thursday until the season finale on Nov. 19.
Here’s everything we know about HBO’s “War,” including Season 2 news and where to find similar casting opportunities.
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Forget conscious uncoupling. When tech entrepreneur Morgan Henderson (West) and international film star Carla Duval (Miller) divorce, each side brings in one of London’s most powerful law firms. Morgan hires Cathcarts & Sons, and Carla chooses Taylor & Byrne. As their multimillion-dollar split unfolds, a determined young associate, Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux), gets drawn into the high-stakes drama.
Creator George Kay told Sky, “ ‘War’ is a legal drama full of double-crossing, scandal, twists, and betrayal. The kind of TV show that made me want to write TV shows.”
The cast includes:
- Dominic West as Morgan Henderson
- Sienna Miller as Carla Duval
- Phoebe Fox as Serena Byrne
- James McArdle as Nicholas Taylor
- Archie Renaux as Jonathan “Johnny” Warren
- Nina Sosanya as Beatrice “Queen Bea” Ubosi
- Pip Torrens as St John Smallwood
- Celia Imrie as Joy “Budgie” Budge
- Nick Mohammed as Michael Stefanou
- Emma Laird as Molly Giordano
- Rose Williams as Flora Monroe
- Patrick Fabian as Eric McDaniel
- Archie Panjabi as Prudette Mutti
- Adrian Scarborough as Judge Aldridge
- Shaheen Jafargholi as Saeed Masood
Kay created, wrote, and executive produced the series. Ben Taylor (“Sex Education,” “Catastrophe”) serves as lead director and executive producer.
Amy Hubbard (“Time,” “Homeland”) cast Season 1. She previously worked with Kay on “Hijack” and has some direct advice for actors entering the casting room. “Confidence is key,” Hubbard told Spotlight. “Confidence, for me, comes above talent.”
She also shared advice for standing out in the audition room. “Make a bold decision about how you want to play it,” she said. “Don’t try to predict, ‘What does this person want?’ ”
HBO and Sky ordered two seasons of “War,” each driven by a different high-profile case. Season 2 has already wrapped production, with Marisa Tomei, Kelly Macdonald, David Harewood, and Richard Schiff joining the fray. While it remains unclear whether the show will return for a third season, there are plenty of similar projects seeking talent now. Stay on top of potential roles with these regularly updated roundups:
For even more leads, bookmark these updated directories:
And prep like a pro with these Backstage guides:
