Bill Nighy Joins Apple TV Series Ascension

Bill Nighy has joined the cast of Ascension, an Apple TV psychological horror-thriller series created by Alfonso Cuarón and led by Caitríona Balfe. The casting brings the British actor into a project centered on a documentary filmmaker investigating a mysterious religious group. The series is inspired by Adam Nevill’s novel Last Days. Its story follows Rose, played by Balfe, a recently divorced documentary filmmaker who begins work on a project about the Church of Ascension, a 20th-century cult. The series description says Rose initially finds refuge in the group’s teachings before discovering something more sinister beneath them. Accounts of Nighy’s character differ. One report identifies him as Zac, a fellow documentarian who hires Rose for a new project. Another says the details of his role are being kept under wraps. The character’s name and specific part in the story have therefore not been consistently disclosed. Ascension is co-showrun by Natalie Erika James and Christian White, with James also serving as lead director. James and White are among the series’ writers, alongside Alfonso Cuarón and his brother Carlos Cuarón. The four are executive producers. Esperanto...