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Episode 1.01 - 1.03 - Press Release
DANNY MCBRIDE’S THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES, STARRING MCBRIDE,JOHN GOODMAN, EDI PATTERSON AND ADAM DEVINE, DEBUTS AUG. 18 ON HBO
Show Marks Third HBO Comedy Series From Rough House Pictures
THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES, starring Danny McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine, kicks off its nine-episode season with an hour-long episode SUNDAY, AUG. 18 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by half-hour episodes on subsequent Sundays, exclusively on HBO. Telling the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work, the series was created by McBride (HBO’s “Vice Principals” and “Eastbound & Down”), who is an executive producer, director and writer. McBride collaborators Jody Hill and David Gordon Green also serve as executive producers and directors.
The series will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners’ streaming platforms.
Well into the second generation of a grand televangelist tradition, the renowned Gemstone family is living proof that worship pays dividends in all sizes, including their megachurch. Danny McBride stars as Jesse Gemstone, the eldest of three grown Gemstone offspring, who looks to lead in his father’s footsteps, but finds his past sins jeopardizing the family ministry.
Playing Jesse’s siblings are Adam Devine (“Pitch Perfect”) as pseudo-hipster Kelvin, the youngest of the trio and a thorn in Jesse’s side, and Edi Patterson (HBO’s “Vice Principals”) as Judy, who is secretly living with her fiancé and dreams of escaping the Gemstone compound. John Goodman (HBO’s “Treme”, “The Connors”) is Eli Gemstone, the family’s patriarch, who finds himself at a crisis point as he mourns the loss of his wife, Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles), and questions the Gemstones’ mission.
Also starring are Walton Goggins (Critics’ Choice Award-winner for HBO’s “Vice Principals”) as Baby Billy, a former child star who clogged and sang for Jesus. As an aging man, he has fallen on hard times and comes to the Gemstones for salvation; Cassidy Freeman (“Longmire”) as Jesse’s wife, Amber, a former journalist now devoted to the church; Tony Cavalero (“School of Rock”) as ex-Satanist Keefe Chambers; Tim Baltz (“Drunk History”) as Judy’s finance, BJ; and Greg Alan Williams (“Greenleaf”) as Martin Imari, Eli’s right-hand man.
THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES marks the third HBO series for the Rough House Pictures team of McBride, Hill and Green, following “Eastbound & Down” and “Vice Principals.” McBride wrote and directed the pilot, with Green and Hill splitting directing duties on the other eight episodes. Green directed last year’s hit “Halloween” installment, starring Jamie Lee Curtis, as well as 2017’s “Stronger,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Hill directed 2018’s “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter,” starring Josh Brolin. McBride collaborated as writer and executive producer on “Halloween” and as writer, executive producer and actor in “The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter.”
Episodes include:
Episode 1: “The Righteous Gemstones”
Debut date: SUNDAY, AUGUST 18 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Upon returning from a baptism marathon in China with his father Eli (John Goodman) and brother Kelvin (Adam Devine), Jesse Gemstone (Danny McBride) receives a video from blackmailers seeking to sully his reputation. Eli moves forward with plans to expand the Gemstone empire as he continues to mourn his late wife Aimee-Leigh (Jennifer Nettles).
Written by Danny McBride; directed by Danny McBride.
Episode 2: “Is This the Man Who Made the Earth Tremble”
Debut date: SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)
After discovering Amber (Cassidy Freeman), Pontius (Kelton DuMont) and Abraham (Gavin Munn) reminiscing about an estranged family member, Jesse (Danny McBride) tasks his friends with acquiring surveillance footage that could explain the strange events of the night before.
Written by Danny McBride; directed by David Gordon Green.
Episode 3: “They Are Weak, But He Is Strong”
Debut date: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)
Aimee-Leigh’s (Jennifer Nettles) elderly brother Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) returns to the Gemstone ministry, bringing along his much younger wife Tiffany (Valyn Hall). Jesse closes ranks on his co-conspirators to root out the identity of his blackmailers.
Written by Danny McBride & John Carcieri; directed by David Gordon Green.
THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES is created and written by Danny McBride; directed and executive produced by Danny McBride, Jody Hill and David Gordon Green; executive produced by John Carcieri, Jeff Fradley and Brandon James; produced by David Brightbill; co-produced by Justin Bourret and Melissa DeMino; consulting produced by Grant DeKernion, Jared Hess, Kevin Barnett, Chris Pappas and Edi Patterson.
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