Ethan Hawke To Star In New Showtime Cop Limited Series ‘The Whites’

Ethan Hawke‘s recent foray into television has gone well so far. First, he nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for his role as abolitionist Jim Brown in Showtime‘s “The Good Lord Bird.” And he also looked like he relished chewing scenery in the Disney+ show “Moon Knight,” where he played cult leader Arthur Harrow. Now, Hawke returns to Showtime with a new limited series about a cop whose life threatens to fall apart when a murder case involving his past unfolds.

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Variety reports that Hawke’s latest TV performance will be in “The Whites,” currently in development at Showtime. Based on Richard Price‘s 2016 novel of the same name, the project’s title stems from the idea that every detective has at least one “white whale,” a perpetrator who got away with their crime after the justice system failed somehow. Hawke will play Billy Graves, a cynical ex-detective turned beat cop in NYC that sees one of his white whales return in what looks like an open-and-shut murder case. But, as the case gets more complicated, it threatens Graves’ career, relationships, and family life.

“Ford v. Ferrari” and “Spectre” scribe Jez Butterworth adapts Price’s novel for the limited series. Price is also no stranger to TV, as he’s written for shows like “The Night Of,” “The Deuce,” and “The Wire.” Price, Butterworth, and Hawke all serve as co-executive producers on the project, Hawke doing so through his Under The Influence banner. In addition, Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman, and Nena Rodrigue all serve as executive producers through T-Street.  

No word on who else will star in “The Whites” except for Hawke, but with him, Price, and Butterworth involved, expect some riveting cop drama TV. And given Hawke’s Academy Award-nominated performance in “Training Day” as rookie detective Jake Hoyt, “The Whites” should be a most-anticipated Showtime release.