Hugh Laurie has been tapped as the male lead opposite Amy Poehler in the upcoming Peacock comedy series Dig, which reunites Parks and Recreation star Poehler with the series’ co-creator Mike Schur.
Based on Kate Myers’ bestselling book Excavation, Dig is centered on four women — one of them played by Poehler — working at an archeological dig in Greece who are at wildly different crossroads in their lives. When the team uncovers a long-buried secret with the potential to rewrite history, they find themselves at the center of a high-stakes international conspiracy.
Laurie will play Neville, a British professor who sincerely loves archaeology and strives to uphold the traditions of this dying profession. He fancies himself an inspiring mentor to everyone who works at the site.
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Schur and Poehler co-wrote the pilot script, with J. Philbin (Only Murders in the Building) also serving as a writer on the series. The trio executive produce alongside Morgan Sackett, director Dean Holland as well as Dave Becky and David Miner for 3 Arts, Sharon Jackson for Ocean Avenue, and Kate Arend and Jordan Grief for Poehler’s Paper Kite. Myers is co-executive producer.
The series, which is gearing up for production, comes from Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
British-born Laurie has frequently switched between comedy and drama throughout his career, which includes his signature U.S. series, medical drama House, as well as fellow dramas The Night Manager and Chance and comedies Jeeves and Wooster, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Veep and Avenue 5.
He has earned 10 Emmy nominations to date for House, The Night Manager and Veep and has won three Golden Globes and two SAG Awards.
Laurie recently wrapped production on thriller drama series The Wanted Man for Apple TV and will next appear in Season 3 of the streamer’s thriller Tehran, set to premiere Jan. 9. He voices Albus Dumbledore in Audible’s new Harry Potter audiobook series. Laurie is repped by WME, Hamilton Hodell and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.