Oscar winner Amy Madigan joins Viola Davis in Paramount+ thriller Ascent

Let's get into it: Amy Madigan, fresh from her Oscar win for Weapons, has landed a new gig—she's joining Viola Davis on the upcoming Paramount+ thriller series Ascent. This isn't some throwaway supporting role either. Madigan will play Rachel, described as ‘a former executive at Ascent Ventures and Catriona’s lifelong mentor’. If you're wondering, Catriona is Davis's character, so expect Madigan to be fairly close to the action. Sam Heughan is also on the call sheet, but details on his role are still a bit hush-hush for now.

‘We know what this business is like, and nothing’s real until it is, and timing and all those things. But if it worked out, that would be great, because I trust Zach [Cregger], and he’s got a lot of wacky ideas.’

Amy Madigan on a Roll

This casting comes hot off the back of Madigan's latest success. She grabbed the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work as Aunt Gladys in Weapons—a role that clearly struck a nerve because there’s already a prequel feature in development. The prequel, simply called Gladys, will have Zach Shields and Zach Cregger sharing writing duties. Madigan has spoken quite frankly about her cautious optimism for this spin-off. She seems pleased to be involved, if not entirely convinced the project will escape development hell.

Madigan picked up the Academy Award for Weapons just this year—her first Oscar.

Filmography Hits & What's Next

If you’re trying to place Madigan, she’s been all over television and film for years. Big screen highlights include Field of Dreams and Uncle Buck, and, no, she wasn’t just an extra in those. She’s got TV credits for days as well: everything from Grey’s Anatomy and Fringe to cult favourites like Streets of Fire and more obscure titles (The Hunt, Riders of the Purple Stage). She’s also done the awards circuit—won a Golden Globe and was Emmy-nominated for her work in Roe vs. Wade.

• She’s starring in upcoming film Sponsor
• She’s part of the cast in limited series All the Sinners Bleed
• She’ll appear in Ryan Coogler’s reboot of The X-Files

So, it's fair to say Madigan isn't taking her foot off the pedal any time soon. Between Ascent, Gladys, and all those other projects, she’s suddenly everywhere—even though she’s been at it for decades. That’s Hollywood timing for you.