NEW CINEMAX ACTION SERIES "BANSHEE," FROM A TEAM INCLUDING ALAN BALL AND GREG YAITANES, DEBUTS JAN. 11

The new action series BANSHEE kicks off its ten-episode season FRIDAY, JAN. 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on CINEMAX.

Executive produced by Jonathan Tropper, David Schickler, Peter Macdissi, Alan Ball and Greg Yaitanes, the primetime action series stars Antony Starr ("Rush") as Lucas Hood, an ex-con and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, Pa., where he continues his criminal activities, even as he's hunted by the shadowy gangsters he betrayed years earlier. The production was shot in and around Charlotte, NC.

The series also stars: Ivana Milicevic ("Charlie's Angels," HBO's "Mind of the Married Man") as Carrie Hopewell, Hood's former partner in crime, who now lives in Banshee under an assumed identity with her new family, who know nothing of her past; Ulrich Thomsen ("The Celebration") as Kai Proctor, an intimidating, wealthy local businessman who believes he is above the law; Frankie Faison ("The Good Wife," HBO's "The Wire") as Sugar Bates, a wise, powerful former boxer and ex-con who now owns the local watering hole; Hoon Lee ("Premium Rush") as Job, a dangerous transvestite computer hacker who assists Lucas in his criminal enterprises; Rus Blackwell ("Burn Notice," HBO's "Recount") as Gulf War hero Gordon Hopewell, Banshee's district attorney, who is married to Carrie; and Matt Servitto (HBO's "The Sopranos") as Brock Lotus, the longest-serving deputy in the Banshee sheriff department, who is threatened by Hood's new role as sheriff.

Other cast regulars include: Demetrius Grosse ("Justified") as Emmett Yawners, a deputy in the Banshee sheriff department; Trieste Kelly Dunn ("Brothers and Sisters") as Siobahn Kelly, a spitfire female deputy in the sheriff's department; Ryann Shane ("Blue Bloods") as Deva Hopewell, Carrie and Gordon's rebellious daughter; Daniel Ross Owens ("Prison Break") as Dan Kendall, Banshee's young, idealistic mayor; Lili Simmons ("Fat Kid Rules the World") as Rebecca Bowman, a local Amish girl in her early 20s who lives a devout life by day, but is a rebellious, sexually adventurous party girl by night; and Ben Cross ("Star Trek," "Ben Hur") as Rabbit, a ruthless Ukrainian gangster who has been hunting Lucas and Carrie, his former top thieves, for 15 years.

Scripts were conceived and written by Tropper and Schickler. The directors are: Yaitanes (Emmy(R) winner for "House M.D."), episodes 1, 4 and 8; S.J. Clarkson ("EastEnders," "Dexter," CINEMAX's "Hunted"), episodes 2 and 5; Ole Christian Madsen ("Edderkoppen," "Flame and Citron"), episodes 3 and 6; Dean White ("Once Upon a Time"), episode 7; and Miguel Sapochnik ("Repo Men," "House M.D."), episodes 9 and 10.

January's episodes:

Episode #1: "Pilot" Debut date: FRIDAY, JAN. 11 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) Other CINEMAX playdates: Jan. 11 (11:05 p.m., 12:10 a.m.), 12 (9:00 p.m., 12:10 a.m.), 13 (noon, 11:00 p.m.), 14 (12:15 a.m.), 15 (12:10 a.m.), 16 (8:00 p.m.) and 30 (8:00 p.m.) In a bizarre twist of fate, a recently paroled master thief (Antony Starr) assumes the identity of Lucas Hood, sheriff-in-waiting of Banshee, Pa., the same town where his former partner and lover (Ivana Milicevic), who changed her name to Carrie, relocated and remarried years ago. Keeping his history a secret as he awaits forged papers from Job (Hoon Lee), an unlikely New York City ally, Lucas befriends boxer-turned-bartender Sugar Bates (Frankie Faison), and settles into his new life as Banshee's sheriff,overseeing deputies Emmett Yawners (Demetrius Grosse), Siobahn Kelly (Trieste Kelly Dunn) and Brock Lotus (Matt Servitto). Itching for the thrill of thievery and yearning for Carrie, who's now the wife of attorney Gordon Hopewell (Rus Blackwell) and mother of two, Lucas inadvertently gets tangled up in the rampant corruption of shunned Amish gangster Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) while keeping a vigilant eye out for Mr. Rabbit (Ben Cross), the New York mob boss who wants revenge against Lucas and Carrie for the jewel heist that landed Lucas in prison. A party thrown by Proctor for the new sheriff is spoiled by a crasher, a member of the redneck Moody clan, who despise the Amish in general and Kai in particular. Written by Jonathan Tropper & David Schickler; directed by Greg Yaitanes.

Episode #2: "The Rave" Debut date: FRIDAY, JAN. 18 (10:00-10:50 p.m. ET/PT) Other CINEMAX playdates: Jan. 18 (11:30 p.m.), 19 (9:00 p.m., 12:10 a.m.), 21 (12:30 a.m.), 22 (12:30 a.m.), 23 (8:00 p.m.) and 30 (9:00 p.m.) Hanson (Toby Leonard Moore), a desperate underling of Proctor, holds a rave in an Amish barn, selling homemade E pills stolen from his boss to Banshee youth, including Deva (Ryann Shane), Carrie's rebellious daughter. Catching wind of the plan, Lucas and his team orchestrate a raid, but the effects of a tainted batch of pills send many revelers into convulsions, with one notable fatality. Though Deva is ferried home safely by Lucas, Hanson isn't as fortunate when he returns to Kai's mansion following the debacle. Written by Jonathan Tropper & David Schickler; directed by S.J. Clarkson.

Episode #3: "Meet the New Boss" Debut date: FRIDAY, JAN. 25 (10:00-10:50 p.m. ET/PT) Other CINEMAX playdates: Jan. 25 (11:30 p.m.), 26 (9:00 p.m., 12:45 a.m.), 28 (12:30 a.m.), 29 (12:10 a.m.) and 30 (9:50 p.m.) A mixed martial arts title bout is being planned at the Kinaho Moon Casino, run by tribe leader Benjamin Longshadow (Russell Means) and his son Alex (Anthony Ruivivar). Huge profits are anticipated for Banshee investors, but the enterprise is threatened when the champion (Cedric Stewart) arrives and angers Lucas and especially Siobahn. Will Lucas keep his mouth shut and allow the fight to go on as planned? Written by Jonathan Tropper & David Schickler; directed by Ole Christian Madsen.

BANSHEE is the latest primetime drama to be added to the CINEMAX slate. The hit Emmy(R)-nominated action series "Strike Back" completed its second season earlier this year and will return in 2013, and "Hunted," the spy thriller from creator and writer Frank Spotnitz ("The X-Files"), completed its season in December.

For more on the series, please visit cinemax.com/banshee, facebook.com/cinemax,twitter.com @Cinemax #Banshee and youtube.com/Cinemax.