HIT HBO SERIES SIX FEET UNDER RETURNS FOR FIFTH AND FINAL SEASON LATER THIS YEAR

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13, 2005 - HBO's hit Sunday-night drama series SIX FEET UNDER will return for its fifth and final season, with 12 new episodes to debut beginning in June.

Wrapping its fourth season last September, the Emmy(r) and Golden Globe winner SIX FEET UNDER was created by Alan Ball (winner of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar(r) for "American Beauty"). Using dramatic irony and dark, situational humor, the show approaches the subject of death through the eyes of the Fisher family, who own and operate Fisher & Diaz Funeral Home in Los Angeles.

Cast regulars for the fifth season of SIX FEET UNDER are: Peter Krause (Nate), Michael C. Hall (David), Rachel Griffiths (Brenda), Frances Conroy (Ruth), Lauren Ambrose (Claire), Freddy Rodriguez (Federico), Mathew St. Patrick (Keith), James Cromwell (George) and Justina Machado (Vanessa). Also appearing in the new episodes will be: Kathy Bates (Bettina), Joanna Cassidy (Margaret), Patricia Clarkson (Sarah), Jennifer Elise Cox (Mary), Ileana Douglas (Angela), Tina Holmes (Maggie), Richard Jenkins (Nathaniel), Peter Macdissi (Olivier), Matt Malloy (Roger), Kal Penn and Jeremy Sisto (Billy).

Directors for the new season will include Daniel Attias, Alan Ball, Rodrigo Garcia, Joshua Marston, Dan Minahan, Jeremy Podeswa and Alan Poul.

The executive producers of SIX FEET UNDER are Alan Ball, Robert Greenblatt, David Janollari, Alan Poul, Bruce Eric Kaplan and Rick Cleveland; co-executive producers, Scott Buck and Jill Soloway; supervising producer, Kate Robin; producers, Lori Jo Nemhauser, Bob Del Valle and Craig Wright; co-producer, Nancy Oliver.