"POLITICAL ANIMALS" TO ANCHOR USA NETWORK SUMMER LINEUP

SIX-HOUR EVENT DRAMA PREMIERES SUNDAY, JULY 15, AT 10/9c

ADRIAN PASDAR JOINS STAR-STUDDED CAST IN RECURRING ROLE OPPOSITE SIGOURNEY WEAVER, CARLA GUGINO, CIARÁN HINDS, JAMES WOLK, SEBASTIAN STAN, ELLEN BURSTYN AND BRITTANY ISHIBASHI

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY ON PROJECT FROM GREG BERLANTI, LAURENCE MARK AND WARNER HORIZON TELEVISION BEGINS IN PHILADELPHIA

NEW YORK - May 2, 2012 - POLITICAL ANIMALS - the television event of the summer - will premiere on Sunday, July 15, at 10/9c on USA Network. The highly anticipated six-hour event series about a former first family fighting political adversaries while struggling with their own powerful demons anchors the network's blockbuster summer lineup of originals across five nights a week.

From Warner Horizon Television and acclaimed television and film producers Greg Berlanti ("Brothers & Sisters") and Laurence Mark ("Julie and Julia"), the event drama has added Adrian Pasdar ("Heroes," "The Lying Game," "Desperate Housewives") in a recurring role opposite Sigourney Weaver ("Avatar") in her first television series regular role. Pasdar stars as President Paul Garcetti, who defeated Elaine (Weaver) in the presidential primary and then appointed her as his Secretary of State. A smart man who uses every resource at his disposal to his advantage, he deftly employs Elaine's popularity to deflect unwanted attention. Elaine tries to keep her family together while simultaneously dealing with crises of the State Department and a hungry DC journalist (Gugino) who is bent on destroying her.

POLITICAL ANIMALS explores the nuanced and complex world of politics through the lens of a family who has experienced its highs and lows. The project also stars Carla Gugino ("Entourage"), James Wolk ("Shameless"), Sebastian Stan ("Gossip Girl"), Brittany Ishibashi ("The Mentalist") with Ellen Burstyn ("Requiem for a Dream") and Ciarán Hinds ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy").

Principal photography has begun in Philadelphia with executive producer Berlanti directing the first episode. Academy Award-winning costume designer Ann Roth will design Weaver's wardrobe for the pilot.

POLITICAL ANIMALS is from Berlanti Productions and Laurence Mark Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television. Berlanti wrote and will direct the pilot and serves as executive producer of the series with Mark and Sarah Caplan ("Brothers and Sisters," "GCB"). Melissa Kellner Berman of Berlanti Productions will co-executive produce.

Warner Horizon Television (WHTV) is one of the entertainment industry's leading producers of scripted series for the cable marketplace and primetime reality series for both network and cable. Founded in 2006, this second production entity allows the Warner Bros. Television Group to expand its programming offerings and explore creative options made possible under a new business model. WHTV's current unscripted series are The Voice for NBC, The Bachelor franchise - which includes The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad - for ABC, The Catalina and Oh Sit! for The CW, and Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew for MTV. Scripted programs from WHTV are Rizzoli & Isles and Dallas for TNT, Sullivan & Son for TBS, Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game for ABC Family, Longmire for A&E and Political Animals for USA Network.

The #1 network in all of basic cable, USA Network is seen in 115 million U.S. homes. USA is a leader in scripted programming with a powerful stable of originals including POLITICAL ANIMALS, SUITS, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, WHITE COLLAR, ROYAL PAINS, BURN NOTICE, PSYCH, COVERT AFFAIRS, COMMON LAW, FAIRLY LEGAL and IN PLAIN SIGHT. The network offers 52 weeks of spectacular live television with WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW and is home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, a broad portfolio of acquired series and entertainment events. A trailblazer in digital innovation and storytelling, USA is defining, driving and setting the industry standard for Social TV. USA is a program service of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal. The award-winning website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.