Dennis Farina and John Ortiz are back on the television track, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The two actors have signed on to star in HBO’s new hour-long horse-racing drama pilot, ‘Luck.’
The series is being written by David Milch, and the pilot will be directed by Michael Mann, who directed Farina in his acting debut in 1981’s ‘Thief.’ Mann said he was attracted to ‘Luck’ because of the pilot’s script and feedback from Martin Scorsese, who directed Boardwalk Empire for HBO.
The series is being described as a provocative look at horse-racing and gambling. Farina’s character, Gus Economou, teams up with a man recently released from jail, and the two are working on a racetrack scheme. The two later enlist Turo Escalante, played by Ortiz, to carry out their plan.
Milch described the lead character, who has yet to be cast, as “a guy versed in all the permutations of finance, elicit and otherwise. When he is released from jail for securities violations, he resumes his place at the race track, where he is a figure of long-standing repute.” He added that horse racing is so compelling because he finds it as complicated and engaging as anything else he’s ever encountered.
Written by: Karen Benardello
