Olivia Thirlby (Juno) is set to co-star opposite Billy Bob Thornton in Trial, the Amazon Studios drama from The Practice creator David E. Kelley, which is on track for a 10-episode straight-to-series order.
The legal drama, which Kelley co-wrote with his Practice producer, fellow former attorney Jonathan Shapiro, centers on Billy McBride (Thornton). Once a big and powerful lawyer, Billy has become a shell of his former self after losing a case that saw an innocent kid murdered. His guilt-driven alcoholism cost him his wife and his job as his longtime partner Cooper turned on him and kicked him out of their law firm. Still hanging onto his dry charisma, Billy is now going head-to-head against Cooper, bringing a case against his former partner, which begins to stir in him his old ambition.
Thirlby will play Lucy Kittridge, a whip-smart, driven to succeed, high-powered attorney who knows what she wants, which is money, sex, and respect. Underneath the tomboy tough exterior still beats the soul of a 21st century idealist, meaning she still wants justice but she’s still pretty sure money is the only sure way to get it.
David Semel is directing the pilot and executive producing with Kelley and Shapiro.
Thirlby is repped by CAA, 3Arts Entertainment and Hansen Jacobson.
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