Well, who were you expecting? Jason Statham?
Deadline reports that Cinemax' coming TV adaptation of driver-action series The Transporter has at long last found not only its lead role Frank Martin in actor Chris Vance, but also the series' female lead in actress Andrea Osvart. Osvart will play Frank's handler Carla, an "extremely crafty former CIA operative who organizes his missions, acts as his eyes and ears on the outside, and continually stokes the flames of their unrequited attraction."
Vance has previously held roles in both Burn Notice and Prison Break, while Osvart's body of work consists mostly of foreign films we can't pronounce. Film series director Luc Besson will executive produce the series which shoots this Summer in Canada and Europe for a debut sometime next year.
Entertainment weekly had a chance to speak to Vance on nabbing the role, including whether or not vance had had any conversations with original star Jason Statham:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Has Jason Statham called to wish you good luck?
CHRIS VANCE: Not yet. I’m sure I’ll cross paths with Jason down the line and we’ll have a good old chat about it then.
Were they always looking for a Brit to fill his shoes?
I don’t know that they were looking for a Brit. But the character is British, so they were looking for someone that could make that believable.
Are you having to do a lot of martial arts training?
I’m doing a bit. I’m on a fitness program at the moment. It’s more stamina work than anything, because we will be shooting for five months and that’s a long time to sustain all the physical activites that we’ve got on the show. The stunt guys that worked on the movies are coordinating all the stunts and the action sequences and everything for the series. They’re all very experienced. I’ll be working with them and whatever I can do, I’ll do.
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What sat you? Will Chris Vance be able to fill the driver's seat, or spin out? Rev up your thoughts on the new casting below!
