PRODUCTION HAS BEGUN ON THE STARZ SPY THRILLER "COUNTERPART"

OSCAR(R)-WINNER JK SIMMONS LEADS IN NEW ORIGINAL SERIES FROM MRC, GILBERT FILMS AND ANONYMOUS CONTENT

Beverly Hills, Calif., December 1, 2016 - The STARZ Original series "Counterpart" began production on the 10-episode first season of the spy thriller from MRC (Media Rights Capital), Gilbert Films and Anonymous Content. Filming has commenced in Los Angeles and will continue in additional locations across the U.S. and Europe in 2017.

The espionage thriller with a metaphysical twist stars Oscar(R) winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash, The Accountant, Juno), Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense, Hyde Park on Hudson, "Manhattan") and Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything, Jane Eyre, "Manhattan"). Academy Award(R) nominee Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game, Passengers) directed the first episode.

"Counterpart" is the story of 'Howard Silk' (JK Simmons), a lowly cog in a bureaucratic agency, who discovers that the agency he works for is really guarding a crossing into a parallel dimension. Through Howard and his "Counterpart" on the other side, the show will navigate themes of identity, what ifs, and lost love. Starz ordered two seasons of 10 episodes each of "Counterpart" in 2015.

Joining the previously announced cast is Ulrich Thomsen, taking over for Michael Nyqvist, who had to depart the series due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, as the hardened Director of Counterintelligence at Howard's agency and a strange mix of philosopher and spy, 'Aldrich' (previously 'Chekhov'). Thomsen has an impressive body of work spanning two decades, including roles on the popular television series "The Blacklist" and "Banshee."

Olivia Williams (The Sixth Sense, Hyde Park on Hudson, "Manhattan") stars as 'Emily Burton Silk,' Howard's wife, a mysterious woman whose secrets become the centerpiece of the first season's story. Harry Lloyd (The Theory of Everything, Jane Eyre, "Manhattan") plays the role of 'Peter Quayle,' an upper-crust director at Howard's agency, whose carefully calibrated career slowly begins to unravel as he sinks deeper into the world of espionage and double lives. Nazanin Boniadi ("Homeland," Ben-Hur, Hotel Mumbai) plays 'Clare,' an enigmatic young woman of curious origin. Nicholas Pinnock (Captain America: The First Avenger, "Marcella," "A.D. The Bible Continues"), plays 'Ian Shaw,' an aggressive operative and watchdog whose job is to ensure an uneasy peace between both dimensions. Sara Serraiocco (Salvo, Cloro, Worldly Girl), portrays 'Baldwin' a mysterious assassin whose life takes on a new purpose when she is exposed to the other side.

Norwegian-born director Morten Tyldum is best known for his Oscar(R)-nominated work on The Imitation Game (2014), as well as for Headhunters (2011), and Buddy (2003). Tyldum also directed Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt in the upcoming space epic Passengers, scheduled for a Christmas 2016 release.

Created and written by Justin Marks (The Jungle Book), "Counterpart" is executive produced by Tyldum and Marks with Amy Berg ("Da Vinci's Demons"), Gary Gilbert (La La Land) with Gilbert Films, Jordan Horowitz (La La Land), Keith Redmon (The Revenant) and Bard Dorros (Spotlight) with Anonymous Content. Simmons also serves as a producer.

Casting by Jeanne McCarthy, Nicole Abellera, and Leslie Woo from McCarthy/Abellera.

# # #

About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television networks (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com. The Starz Networks operating unit is home to the flagship STARZ(R) brand with 24.5 million subscribers in the United States as of September 30, 2016, with the STARZ ENCORESM network at 31.5 million subscribers. Through STARZ, the company provides high quality, entertaining premium subscription video programming with 17 premium pay TV channels and associated on-demand and online services. STARZ is sold through U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms. Starz offers subscribers more than 5,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films every year and up to 1,500 every month, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular movie and television programming. The Starz Distribution operating unit is home to the Anchor Bay Entertainment, Starz Digital, and Starz Worldwide Distribution divisions. In addition to STARZ Original series, Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires movies, television and other entertainment content for worldwide home video, digital, and television licensing and sales.