Justin Timberlake is in talks to play ‘Gong Show’ host and CIA assassin Chuck Barris in a new series for Apple TV+.
Justin Timberlake
The ‘Say Something’ singer is being eyed for the role of the game show host in an as-yet-untitled drama series which Apple bought the streaming rights to after it beat other bidders in a recent auction.
The show is based on the 1984 memoir by Barris titled ‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’, in which he made suspect claims that being the zany host of ‘Gong Show’ and creator of game shows such as ‘The Dating Game’ and ‘The Newlywed Game’ was actually a cover for his real job as a CIA assassin who took out enemies of the state in the 1960s and 1970s.
Barris’ book was previously turned into a film in 2002, which was directed by George Clooney with Sam Rockwell playing the lead star.
Apple TV’s show will be a co-production between Miramax – who produced the 2002 movie – and Paramount Television Studios, and David Hollander is on board as the showrunner and executive producer.
Jon Worley wrote the script for the pilot episode and is also working as an executive producer on the series.
For Justin, the potential casting comes after he recently starred alongside Juno Temple in the new drama film 'Palmer'.
The celebrity duo have loud, dispassionate sex in the movie, but Juno recently said she didn't require an intimacy co-ordinator for the scene.
She explained: "For me, what’s important is that you have a conversation with your co-star, with your director, and you all figure out privately what’s cool and what’s not."
Juno added she felt "very safe" working with Justin and she didn't find shooting the sex scene to be particularly awkward.
She said: "I’ve worked with Justin before; he’s a friend of mine, and I feel very safe working with him. Actually, doing a sex scene is less terrifying than doing a scene where I have to give up my child."
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