Earlier this week, veteran producer Carlton Cuse revealed on twitter that Sean Astin had joined “The Strain,” the upcoming pilot based upon the vampire novel trilogy by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Now, FX has made the official announcement.
Astin will play CDC team administrator Jim Kent, a man who works alongside Dr. Ephraim Goodweather (Corey Stoll) and Nora Martinez (Mia Maestro) as they attempt to stop the deadly vampire strain that decimates Manhattan. John Hurt also stars as Professor Abraham Setrakian, a holocaust survivor who helps Goodweather and his team fight the vampires.
Although Astin is best known for his roles in Rudy, The Goonies and The Lord of The Rings trilogy, he has also made numerous appearances on television, including a stint on “24,” and guest appearances on “Monk,” “My Name Is Earl,” “Law & Order” and “Las Vegas.” Astin is also the voice of Raphael in Nickelodeon’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated series.
Del Toro is directing the pilot episode of “The Strain,” which is expected to get a full series pickup from FX for a potential 2014 debut.
