Ellen Burstyn Joins USA's Political Animals

Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn has joined USA's miniseries Political Animals, the network announced.
Set to premiere this summer, the six-part series will focus on Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver), a divorced former first lady and current Secretary of State who struggles to keep her family together as she deals with the State Department's crises. She strikes an unlikely friendship with a journalist (Carla Gugino) who has spent her career tearing Elaine down. Burstyn will play Elaine's mother, Margaret, a tough and witty woman who was a one-time Vegas showgirl.

Carla Gugino to star opposite Sigourney Weaver in USA's Political Animals

As previously announced, the cast also includes Lone Star's James Wolk as Doug, one of Elaine's sons who serves as her Chief of Staff, Gossip Girl's Sebastian Stan as her other son, Brittany Ishibashi (The Mentalist) as Doug's fiancée and Ciarán Hinds (Rome) as Elaine's ex-husband.This will be Burstyn's first TV role since her Emmy-winning guest spot in a 2008 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.Political Animals comes from Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money), who wrote and will direct the pilot, as well as serve as an executive producer with Laurence Mark.