The Silence of the Lambs sequel series has found its Clarice Starling. Rebecca Breeds (Pretty Little Liars, The Originals) has landed the title role in the series, Clarice, based on the famous Thomas Harris character.
The show has a big series commitment at CBS and a writers room has already been set up, a good indication that the pilot will go to series when it’s all said and done. The show will be set in 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs. Instead of focusing on Starling’s most public professional subject Hannibal, the concept will be a deep dive into her the untold personal story as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high-stakes political world of Washington, D.C.
Breeds has big shoes to fill in being cast as Clarice Starling. The roles was made famous by Jodie Foster and earned her an Oscar for the 1991 movie adaptation directed by Jonathan Demme. In 2001’s Hannibal, based on Harris’ 1999 novel, which was set 10 years after Silence of the Lambs, Clarice was played by Julianne Moore. Breeds is said to have beat out many actresses for the role in a series of competitive auditions.
The Australian-born Breeds got her first role in the U.S. on CBS where she co-starred on the short-lived comedy series We Are Men. She recently recurred on the network’s drama The Code. Breeds is also known for her recurring roles on Pretty Little Liars and The Originals.
