Actor Ron Livingston (last seen in Sex And The City, and Band of Brothers) stars in Defying Gravity, a new science fiction drama series from producer James Parriott (of Grey's Anatomy fame) and Michael Edelstein (aka Desperate Housewives). The thirteen part scifi series has already started to broadcast on BBC Two in October 2009.

Set in the near future, Defying Gravity revolves around the exploits of eight astronauts from five countries (four men and four women) who undertake a mysterious six-year international space mission through the solar system. With the eyes of the world upon them (everything they do is monitored and every emotion they feel scrutinised) they soon discover that their real assignment is not at all what they thought...

The series' international ensemble cast is led by Ron Livingston (Sex And The City) as flight engineer Maddux Donner, Laura Harris (24) as ship's geologist Zoe Barnes, Malik Yoba (New York Undercover) as flight commander Ted Shaw, Christina Cox (Blood Ties) as biologist Jen Crane, Florentine Lahme (Impact) as pilot Nadia Schilling, Paula Garces (The Shield) as pilot, scientist and on-board documentary producer Paula Morales, Eyal Podell (24) as psychiatrist and medical officer Evram Mintz, and Dylan Taylor (House Party) as theoretical physicist Steve Wassenfelder.



The cast on planet Earth is led by Andrew Airlie (Reaper) as Mission Control Commander Mike Goss, Karen LeBlanc (ReGenesis) as scientist Eve Shaw, Zahf Paroo (Battlestar Gallactica) as grounded flight engineer Ajay Sharma, Maxim Roy (MVP) as flight surgeon Claire Dereux and Ty Olsson as Rollie Crane, once Mission Commander onboard Antares, and now cap comm; episodic director Peter Howitt (Sliding Doors; Bread) also plays the role of British journalist, Trevor Williams.

The creator/executive producers are James Parriott (Grey's Anatomy; Ugly Betty) and Michael Edelstein (Desperate Housewives). Executive producers also include Brian Hamilton (Robson Arms) and Michael Chechik for Omni Films and Tim Haines (Primeval; Space Odyssey: Voyage To The Planets) for Impossible Pictures. Directors include David Straiton (House) and Peter Howitt (Sliding Doors).

The concept of creating the Defying Gravity series came about three years ago (2006) when executive producer Michael Edelstein saw the BBC documentary, Voyage To The Planets. On the lookout for a project with an international aspect, Edelstein was also drawn to the idea of a drama set in space.

As Edelstein recalls: "I've been fascinated with space since I was a small kid and my father gave me some early Voyageur photographs that he got from JPL – the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They were of Jupiter, and I was just stunned by how beautiful they were, and I think ever since then I've always had a thing for space."

Fellow executive producer James Parriott recalls Edelstein approaching him about the project and his instantaneous reaction to the idea.

He says: "Michael was trying to find a show that would work under this independent film type of financial model, the idea of starting a project by selling foreign first and bringing it back to the United States. It was instantly appealing to me, because with an international space mission you have crew members who are from different countries. It's an international effort, so it has an international feel. It's about humankind and it's about man's place in the universe, as opposed to the United States planting a flag on the Moon."

However, as Parriott explained to SFcrowsnest.com, the epic scope of the project had some daunting elements in terms of production values.

"One of the first things I said when Michael came to me with the project was 'Michael, it's space. Do we really want to do space? Because that's weightlessness, that's big sets, it's expensive, and it's difficult to produce.' I don't think we realised how difficult it was to produce until we really got into it."

Once Edelstein and Parriott agreed to go ahead with developing the series, they both approached the research process with considerable enthusiasm. Because they felt the concept was not really "science fiction" but rather, as Edelstein calls it, "sci-fact," the two did considerable research with NASA.

"We both made trips to the Kennedy Space Center and to the Johnson Space Center, and we started from a basis of fact," Edelstein explains. "Then we started to do research and talked to a number of very high-ranking scientists in NASA. We asked them, 'If you were to do a manned mission through the solar system, what would you need?' So that was sort of our jumping-off point."

Parriott recalls the experience with enthusiasm, citing NASA's very supportive response. "They were terrific. Michael and I went down and got to take a tour of Cape Canaveral, and go through the facilities in Kennedy. Both of us went down individually to Houston and went through the whole facility down there, which was incredible."

Meeting the astronauts was another thrilling aspect of the experience, one that led to an unexpected and unique encounter for Parriott.

"I took three astronauts out to dinner. One of them, Mike Fink, asked for my cell number and said, 'I'll call you from space.' A few months later I was back in Los Angeles having lunch with my writers in a noisy restaurant, and I got this call. I answered the phone to hear 'It's Mike from the Space Station.' And I was thinking that we don't have a space station on our set. And then I realised it was Mike Fink, and he was commanding the International Space Station at that time. Of course I ran outside, it was a real thrill, the connection was very good, as if he was just down the block. They were somewhere over South America at the time!"

"But to get to know the astronauts, to get to know them as people, they are truly incredible," Parriott continues. "I took Eileen Collins out to lunch. She was the female shuttle commander who commanded something like seven missions. A legend in Houston and in the community, she's a real hero in the space business."



Although much of the show is based in actual science, the story developed by Parriott also includes a mysterious element, which takes the characters into the science-fiction realm.

Edelstein comments on this combination of scientific fact and fiction: "Jim created his characters and his story and this over-arching mystery, which took us a little bit more into the world of sci-fi. But we tried to make the spaceship and the space environment seem real, and that was a choice we deliberately wanted to make."

The creative aspect of the show, as a kind of hybrid of scientifically-based science-fiction with character-driven drama, gives Defying Gravity a unique position within the sci-fi genre.

"Any time you have people in a spaceship, that's going to be defined as sci-fi," says Parriott. "And we certainly have a mystery element as part of the show, this dark secret that unfolds. But I think we stand out as different as what you typically think of as a sci-fi show in that we're doing a character-based drama that also has humour. We're probably a 'girlier' show than most sci-fi shows, but I think that's what makes it interesting and gives it a new spin. I do think that when people watch this, they'll say, 'I haven't seen anything like that before'."

"Defying Gravity is about the first manned mission through the solar system," adds Edelstein. "It's set in the near future, but that's really simplifying what it is. What Jim has created is a complex soap opera set in space and also on earth during the training process. It's a little bit of Grey's Anatomy. It's got an overarching mystery like Lost, so it's sort of a show that's never really existed before."

The setting for the show also allows room for exploration into many aspects of human development and interaction and highlights the underlying theme that runs throughout.

"I think the central theme of Defying Gravity is about man finding himself and his place in the universe," Parriott explains. "What's wonderful about doing a big show like this is that we get to deal thematically with race, religion, all the big issues of our time, and deal with them in a unique way. All of those things factor into our characters and who they are and how the mission progresses."

The crew include...

Maddux Donner (Ron Livingston) – Maddux is a veteran astronaut saddled with an inescapable tragedy from his past – the death of two crewmates on Mars (for which he feels responsible). A last-minute inclusion on the new Antares crew, Donner's reflective and tough-minded questioning makes him the moral voice of this mission. If there's a way to do things right this time, Donner will lead the way. Romantic entanglements with ship geologist Zoe Barnes (as well as pilot Nadia Schilling) make Donner's job as chief engineer on this six-year voyage as uniquely personal as it is professional.

Zoe Barnes (Laura Harris) – A respected geologist, Zoe Barnes is a secretive and delicate beauty, known for her clear-eyed enthusiasm for space travel as much as for her abject refusal to date her co-workers. Zoe carries a quiet torch for Donner. Zoe is impulsive and boasts an unexpected, edgy sense of humour. She also cherishes her bond with fellow scientist Jen Crane, a much-needed confidante as Zoe's unknown future clashes with ghosts from her past. Only one thing is certain for Zoe: as the safety of Earth grows further each day, she'll need all the help she can get.

Ted Shaw (Malik Yoba) – Ted is the seasoned, dedicated commander of Antares, accustomed to carrying out orders without fear of consequence. A veteran of the Mars mission, he was at Donner's side when they were ordered to leave two astronauts behind. If nothing else, the ordeal brought them closer as friends. Now married to Eve, Ted's loyalty is tested again and again as he juggles loyalty to his wife in Mission Control and camaraderie with his crew on Antares. Throughout the six-year odyssey, Ted will struggle to keep order on the ship, and find his friendships challenged, his love tested, and his fears realised when he discovers his own inner demons have come along for the ride.

Jen Crane (Christina Cox) – The wise-talking biologist on Antares, Jen Crane suffers no fools. She's the friend you hope to have: wise and supportive, with an opinion on everything. However, Jen is also a quiet, stubborn enemy whom you wouldn't want to cross. Though she dated Ted Shaw during training Jen married Rollie Crane just prior to their inclusion on the Antares mission. When Rollie is removed from Antares in the 11th hour, only to be replaced by Ted Shaw, a test of fidelity – and sanity – will be Jen's burden aboard the ship as she ponders the true meaning of the phrase 'alone in the universe'.

Nadia Schilling (Florentine Lahme) – An ace pilot at the top of her graduating class at ISO, German-born Nadia Schilling is a tough and sexy addition to the Antares crew. Not only does she pride herself on executing her duties on Antares to the best of her abilities, she expects the same of others, including Maddux Donner (with whom she's had a sex-only relationship for the past several years of training). With the last-minute inclusion of Donner on the mission, Nadia makes it clear to Zoe she has no problem – in fact, even relishes – competing for Donner's attention over the next six years. The changes Nadia will experience while in space will be the most extreme of all the Antares crew; this hard-edged female pilot has some very interesting layers.

Dr Evram Mintz (Eyal Podell) – Wise beyond his years, Mintz is an Israeli-American battle surgeon who serves as ship doctor and psychiatrist. Though highly intelligent, Mintz's acute, dim view of humanity comes from watching too many people die in war – a view he likes to dim even further with alcohol. While it's his job to maintain the crew's physical and mental health, Mintz realises he has his own problems to deal with: no matter how far from Earth he travels, he'll never quite leave the past behind. Mintz is involved with ground crew medical officer Claire Dereux, a love affair-turned-professional as they conspire to keep the Antares crew alive and functioning...at any cost.

Paula Morales (Paula Garces) – From a poor family in Brownsville, Texas, Paula is the payload specialist aboard Antares. Religious, optimistic and hard-working, she speaks three languages: English, Spanish and Ameslan. A former schoolteacher who aspires to be a broadcaster when she completes the mission, one of Paula's duties on Antares is hosting Classroom In Space, a video presentation where she interviews the other astronauts and explains the daily routines and activities onboard Antares.

Steve Wassenfelder (Dylan Taylor) – With a passion for unraveling the mysteries of the universe and a wit as sharp as his mind, Steve is the theoretical physicist aboard Antares. He is also a hardcore gamer and an unabashed geek. Despite his intellectual accomplishments (or maybe because of them) Steve has never had a girlfriend and, initially, has no idea why he's on the mission. As such, he passes his free time playing Halo, watching the porn he brought to see him through the six-year mission, and generally keeping the crew in glib one-liners and attitude.

And Misson Control on Earth...

Mike Goss (Andrew Airlie) – Famously cool to the point of freezing, Goss is the flight director of the Antares, stationed in Mission Control. A man whose decisions always seem to leave scars on others, he was the commander of the infamous Mars mission tragedy, thus cementing his ill-fated bond with Donner. Against his better judgment, Goss allows Donner and Ted the opportunity to replace Ajay and Rollie on the Antares mission – a decision he will question every day for the next six years.

Eve Weller-Shaw (Karen LeBlanc) – In addition to being Ted's wife and the mother of their three-year-old son, Roy, Eve plays a vital role in the Antares Mission and is privy to all its secrets. Bestowed with many gifts, yet burdened by a tragic past, she is a woman of many contradictions. Working alongside flight director Goss, Eve oversees all aspects of the mission and is central to its success...or its failure. Eve maintains an air of mystery; it's often hard to know which side of good or bad she is on – perhaps both.

Ajay Sharma (Zahf Paroo) – Painfully endearing and sincere, Ajay is a Hindu from Mumbai who prays regularly to Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity who is the remover of obstacles. Once a flight engineer onboard the ship, Ajay is now a member of the ground crew in Mission Control and is selflessly devoted to the Antares mission and its crew, especially Maddux Donner. As the Antares mission evolves, so too will Ajay: as secrets reveal themselves, our naive and sunny philosopher will have his faith tested, revealing his own unexpected shades of grey.

Rollie Crane (Ty Olsson) – Once the Mission Commander onboard Antares, Rollie is now cap comm, calling the shots as best he can from the confines of Mission Control. The type of guy who is everyone's best friend or big brother, Rollie is fiercely loyal, good and kind. Married to Jen for two years, Rollie has always been, and will always be, desperately in love with her. When an accident threatens Rollie's career, we'll see his natural honesty clash with ISO brass, an unnatural and heart-wrenching test for this tried-and-true company man.

Claire Dereux (Maxim Roy) – A proficient and a dedicated flight surgeon, Claire monitors the medical condition of the eight astronauts on Antares from Mission Control, along with Evram Mintz, her 'boyfriend' in space. Claire's scientific curiosity and dedication to the mission become less of an asset and more of a threat to ISO brass when she begins to question the strange inconsistencies in the Antares crew's physiology. Claire is the first of the ground crew to suspect the mission is not at all what it appears to be.

Trevor Williams (Peter Howitt) – A once-disgraced journalist with something to prove, Trevor is the Anderson Cooper of the future, covering the space beat for the British News Network. His scathing editorials on the folly of manned space travel and his relentless pursuit – some would say obsession – to uncover the truth behind the Antares mission, makes him a thorn in everyone's side. The problem is, Trevor's on to something...

Arnel Poe (William Vaughn) – After suffering a crippling accident in training, this once bright star of his ISO class is now assistant cap comm in Mission Control. A loyal and dedicated West Point grad, Arnel begins to question the sacrifices he's made for the programme while striving to be the anchor on the Mission Control floor. He's the straight-shooter wing man who, one day, still hopes to save the day…that is, if Trevor Williams doesn't get to him first.