"Utopia" is just one part of the current Rainnaissance: Wilson, 54, also stars in the drama “Blackbird” (streaming and on demand) alongside Susan Sarandon as a mother with Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) wanting to end her life after one last family gathering, Kate Winslet as her daughter and Wilson as Winslet’s husband, "who's a little bit of a doofus and finds his voice." A majority of senators voted to convict Trump — 57 to 43, including 7 Republicans, but they fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. But I did theater for 10 years before I did any TV or film, in which I played dozens of roles from Moliere to Shakespeare to Eugene O'Neill. On Utopia, Wilson plays Dr. Michael Stearns, a basement-dwelling virologist who tries to stop a deadly pandemic involving a lethal flu he discovered years earlier. Utopia is based on the British series of the same name, and though David Fincher was originally attached to direct, that plan fell through when Amazon acquired the rights to the project. (The entire cast got little blackbird tattoos to commemorate the experience - Wilson’s is on his left bicep.) The actor formerly known as Dwight Schrute has landed a lead role in Utopia, Amazon's forthcoming nine … When the conspiracy in the elusive comic Utopia is real, a group of young fans come together to embark on a high-stakes twisted adventure to use what they uncover to save themselves, each other and ultimately humanity. The acquittal comes more than a month after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol as lawmakers were counting the electoral results that certified Trump's loss. Brought up by his oddball hippie dad, the two keep a nuclear fallout shelter in their back garden. Get To Know Bubba Wallace: 11 Fun Things You Didn't Know As Told By NASCAR Driver Himself, Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, This Black trans activist is fighting to shield her community from an epidemic of violence, Inside the grounds of Europe's biggest Hindu temple, volunteers debunk myths and administer coronavirus vaccines. You can pretend to know what death is like and as an actor, you fake it and pretend, but there's no substitute for the real thing. Give me an offbeat character going on a journey and I want to hitch my wagon to that guy. The trailer for Utopia, which heavily features Rainn Wilson as a virologist battling a global pandemic against a backdrop of conspiracies and chaos, couldn’t feel more eerily prescient. Watch the official trailer for Utopia now! The trailer for Utopia, which heavily features Rainn Wilson as a virologist battling a global pandemic against a backdrop of conspiracies and chaos, couldn’t feel more eerily prescient. For those who thought “The Office” hit close to home, just wait till you see Rainn Wilson’s new TV show about a global pandemic. Utopia is an adaptation of a British series, just like ‘The Office,’ and Rainn, who plays the foremost expert on the Stern’s flu, thinks a crossover isn’t that hard to imagine. Gillian Flynn’s “Utopia” launched Friday, introducing us to Dr. Michael Stearns (Rainn Wilson) and Dr. Kevin Christie (John Cusack), two men who could not … Who Is Rep. Liz Cheney, House Republican Facing Backlash Over Trump Impeachment Vote? And that's what I experienced with my father's passing as well. Rainn Wilson, who plays Michael Stearns, a scientist at a community college whose virus unexpectedly escapes a laboratory and spreads across the globe, reflected on the challenge of portraying conspiracy theorists in a story like Utopia where their idiosyncratic beliefs, and … So for me, I want to find those exceptional characters. Utopia is an American science fiction drama television series adapted by Gillian Flynn and David Fincher from the 2013 British original. Rainn Wilson is no stranger to American adaptations of British TV series or the science fiction landscape. Rainn Wilson spoke with us about his Amazon Prime Video thriller Utopia, and his favorite Dwight Schrute moment from The Office. Susan Sarandon talks 'heart-wrenching' COVID goodbyes, faces death, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As the cities shutdown due to unexplained pandemics, the friends become the hunted. Yes, a tremendous amount of grief, but also just an intense gratitude for what we have and how precious life is. This is crazy.’ And it still is a question mark. “It's mind-blowing" that he wrapped shooting 'Utopia' in September, the coronavirus started in China in December and had hit here by March, while "they were editing this show about a pandemic. The Amazon Prime series, written by Gone Girl and Sharp Objects writer Gillian Flynn, follows a group of comic book fans as they unearth dark secrets about the world in the pages of the titular comic book. In celebration of this event, here are some incredible images showcasing the diverse traditions of Chinese New Year. John Cusack, Rainn Wilson, Cory Michael Smith, Sasha Lane, Ashleigh LaThrop, and Crystal Fox are all starring in the show. He couldn't not create. The drama was from “Gone Girl” and “Sharp Objects” author Gillian Flynn, and starred John Cusack and Rainn Wilson. Rainn Wilson discusses the show in the latest edition of The Breakdown series. Wilson: I had never experienced a death in the family other than my wife's grandmother, who I was not that close to. What’s one awesome thing you will always remember about your dad? A Democrat who prosecuted Donald Trump in his second Senate impeachment trial tells Zenger News that Republican senators let political calculations cloud their judgment — and that Republicans who voted to acquit were shaking their heads and tearing up while she spoke. Utopia cast and everything you need to know about the actors Hopefully, I'll get a chance over the next decade or two to play some other ones. Video: The Lion King Official Trailer (Newsweek), Stacey Plaskett: Trump Would Have Been Convicted On A Secret Ballot, Donald Trump Acquitted By Senate: Everything To Know About Impeachment Trial 2.0, Twitter Reacts To Groundhog Day 2021 As Punxsutawney Phil Predicts 6 More Weeks Of Winter, 7 Romantic Movies To Watch On Valentine’s Day, Regina King Is Beck Bennett's Valentine - SNL, 'Playing Cupid'- Hallmark Channel Preview. Watch the trailer below: Wilson: You're gonna try to make me cry, aren't you? Watch Rainn Wilson and John Cusack tackle a pandemic in Utopia trailer ... Utopia is based on the 2013 British series of the same name, although there are some changes to … No, really. “Blackbird” is a movie about death on its surface. Wilson is an ardent believer in conspiracy theories, such as that the USA has developed and is testing a "tsunami bomb" that caused natural disasters in Asia, the CIA invented caffeine, and the Taliban alter Afghan heroin to make Western consumers infertile. Dr. Michael Stearns starts as this kind of loser nobody, everyman, basement-dwelling, nerdy academic scientist, and several episodes in all of a sudden he's one of the most important people in the world and he goes on this incredible journey. Starring John Cusack, Rainn Wilson… And he really taught me that same sense of how to be creative all the time. Are people going to be able to really see and enjoy this show?”, 'Blackbird':Susan Sarandon talks 'heart-wrenching' COVID goodbyes, faces death. © 2021 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. He has also appeared in various genre fare spanning decades, including Galaxy Quest, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Trek: Discovery, and The Meg. “I was texting (creator and writer) Gillian Flynn the whole time, like ‘OMG, is this really happening? The show also stars John Cusack as a dubious tech billionaire and American Honey’s Sasha Lane as the group’s embattled leader. Wilson talks to USA TODAY about “Utopia,” the recent death of his father and what he learned from “The Office”: How much research did you do on viruses and medical lingo for “Utopia”? Utopia Trailer Features John Cusack and Rainn Wilson News Amazon revealed its first trailer for Utopia, a dark sci-fi offering with a surprising cast, during its Comic-Con@Home panel. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor who portrays Michael Stearns in the Amazon television series Utopia.