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EGOT winner Viola Davis confirmed for all-new TV thriller with "incredibly complex character" at centre

Davis will play an "elite corporate fixer".

Viola Davis at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards on the red carpet, standing in front of a yellow backdrop, wearing a strapless green gown and diamond necklace.

Earl Gibson III/Deadline via Getty Images

Published: Wednesday, 5 August 2026 at 11:01 am

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Viola Davis may have just starred in Prime Video's action thriller G20, collaborated with crime writer James Patterson to produce Judge Stone, and is now gearing up for the cinematic release of Children of Blood and Bone – but the EGOT winner has just been confirmed for an exciting return back to TV.

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It's been announced that Davis will be heading up new Paramount+ original series Ascent, which has been created by Skyfall and Gladiator writer John Logan.

Having fronted the likes of How to Get Away with Murder and The First Lady, Davis is no stranger to a leading drama role but fans will be pleased to know that she's set to take on an "incredibly complex character" in the form of elite corporate fixer Catriona Vail.

Ascent has been described as a "character-driven thriller set in the dangerous world of global corporate crisis and damage control," and Davis's character "must weaponise the ruthless skills that have made her indispensable to billion-dollar clients when her estranged daughter is in danger."

Viola Davis wearing red lipstick, a black shirt and a white blazer.

Viola Davis. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

Whilst the series may sound like something you'd want to binge soon, production actually doesn't kick off on Ascent till 2027, so it may be quite the wait for drama to actually land on our screens.

Nevertheless, excitement remains and in a statement on the announcement of Ascent, Davis said: "I am overwhelmingly excited about this journey with the great John Logan. We won the lottery with this one! Work in which both story and character are bold, awe inspiring and deeply unique is why I became an artist. We at JuVee are deeply grateful to John Logan, Michael Aguilar, and Paramount. We are ready to create magic!"

As Davis mentions, she will be producing the series with Julius Tennon as part of her production company, JuVee Productions. Michael Aguilar (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) will serve as executive producer alongside series creator Logan, who will also helm the series as showrunner.

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Teasing some of the action to come, Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+, said in a statement: "Viola Davis doesn't just take on roles; she transforms them. Catriona Vail is an incredibly complex character and Viola is exactly the generational talent to bring her to life.

"With John Logan and Michael Aguilar behind the camera, Ascent is high-stakes television at its best."

"We are honoured to support the vision of our exceptional creative partners: John Logan, Michael Aguilar, and Viola Davis," Matt Thunell, President of Paramount Television Studios, also added. "We celebrate bold, original ideas, and the icing on the cake is being able to shoot Ascent here at home on the Paramount Lot in Los Angeles."

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Ascent will be coming to Paramount+.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Morgan Cormack, smiling against a lime green background

Morgan CormackDrama Writer

Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.

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