BLAIR UNDERWOOD PLAYS PRESIDENT ON NEW TV SHOW

BLAIR UNDERWOOD AND HIS SONS (IN YELLOW SHIRTS)
Blair Underwood will play the U.S. President on NBC's drama pilot "The Event."

"The Event" is a thriller chronicled from multiple points of view that centers on Sean (Jason Ritter), a regular man fighting his way through the mysterious circumstances of a conspiracy to assassinate the U.S. president (Underwood).

The recently-elected President, originally envisioned as "a poised Hispanic JFK," is described as smart, honest, confident and doing a good job at hiding his relative inexperience. He is a family man and a man of faith who truly wants to do good.

"The Event" was first conceived by writer Nick Wauters a few years ago, before Barack Obama's 2008 election as the U.S.' first black president.

Underwood, who is about the same age as Obama, was a supporter of the former Illinois Senator in his presidential campaign and spoke at several Obama rallies.

This is the second black president on a major U.S. TV series following Dennis Haysbert's turn on the first season of Fox's "24."

Underwood, repped by ICM and Thruline, most recently co-starred on ABC's "Dirty Sexy Money" and has recurred on CBS' "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
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