or


[02/05/19 - 01:30 PM]
Starz Names Oscar(R) Nominee Rachel Morrison Director for "Hightown"
Plus: Shane Harper and Atkins Estimond have joined the cast as Junior and Osito, respectively.

[via press release from Starz]

STARZ NAMES OSCAR(R) NOMINEE RACHEL MORRISON DIRECTOR FOR "HIGHTOWN"

Shane Harper and Atkins Estimond Join Cast of Scripted Crime Drama

Santa Monica, Calif. - February 5, 2019 - Starz, a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), today announced Academy Award(R) nominee Rachel Morrison (Black Panther, Fruitvale Station) will direct the original series "Hightown."

The Cambridge, Mass. native became the first female director of photography to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography in 2018 for her work on Mudbound. She also served as director of photography for Fruitvale Station and the Oscar(R)-nominated Marvel super-hit Black Panther.

"Rachel is more than ready to set the tone, atmosphere and authenticity of 'Hightown,'" said Carmi Zlotnik, President of Programming for Starz. "Rachel is a true trailblazer whose experience and remarkable creative vision have proved to be both impactful and impressive. I can't wait to see the results from Rachel, Rebecca and the entire cast working together."

Morrison began her career working on series and movies for a number of networks and is best known for films Fruitvale Station (2013), Cake (2014), Dope (2015), Mudbound (2017) and Black Panther (2018). She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best cinematography and earned nominations from the Critics' Choice Awards and American Society of Cinematographers for her work on Mudbound. Morrison earned an undergrad degree in photography at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a master's in cinematography at the American Film Institute. Morrison is repped by CAA and Susan Solomon-Shapiro at Circle of Confusion.

Shane Harper ("Code Black," "Happyland") and Atkins Estimond ("The Resident," "StartUp," "Lodge 49") join the cast of "Hightown" as "Junior" and "Osito." Harper plays Junior, the son of a Cape Cod fisherman who's 90 days clean, but as he tries to stay sober, he engages in illegal activity to earn enough money to reunite him with his girlfriend and their baby. Estimond portrays Osito, a hardened gangster who has a soft spot for Junior and cultivates a relationship with his soldier-in-training.

Shane Harper has established himself as a triple threat artist - singer, actor, dancer. He began working as a professional dancer in the entertainment industry when he was just 13, transitioning easily into acting with a recurring role on the hit Disney Channel show "Good Luck Charlie" for all four seasons. Shortly after, he landed a large recurring role on MTV's hit comedy series "Awkward." As an actor in film, Harper got his start working with the legendary Rob Reiner, in a supporting role for the movie "Flipped" and was the lead role in the independent feature film God's Not Dead, which grossed over 60 million at the box office. Most recently, Harper appeared in the 1950's indie drama Flock Of Four. He is repped by WME with legal representation by JR McGinnis at Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson LLP.

Atkins Estimond was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and discovered his love for acting in theatre. After graduating high school, he transitioned to TV/film and briefly studied at the University of North Georgia as part of the Gainesville Theatre Alliance before acting full time in Atlanta. Atkins has found great success in his career and can be seen on shows such as "The Resident," "Lodge 49," "Hap and Leonard," "Love Is" and more. He can also be seen in films including SuperFly and An Actor Prepares. He is repped by Buchwald, People Store and Tassell Talent Group with legal representation by Meyers & Downs.

The scripted crime drama from Jerry Bruckheimer TV is set amid the drug trade on Cape Cod, touched off when a body washes ashore and is discovered by an irreverent National Marine Fisheries Service officer who is determined to help solve the murder even if the state cops want her nowhere near the case.

"Hightown" is written and executive produced by Rebecca Cutter with Gary Lennon executive producing with Jerry Bruckheimer (Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, Top Gun: Maverick, "The Amazing Race"), Jonathan Littman ("Lucifer," "The Amazing Race," CSI Franchise) and KristieAnne Reed ("CSI: Cyber," "Lucifer," "L.A.'s Finest") from JBTV. Monica Raymund ("Chicago Fire," "The Good Wife") and James Badge Dale (Hold the Dark, 13 Hours) star. Production begins in March.

Starz retains all domestic multiplatform pay TV and SVOD rights to the series. Lionsgate retains all international and domestic distribution and home entertainment rights. Senior Vice Presidents of Original Programming Ken Segna and Susan Lewis are the Starz executives overseeing "Hightown."

About Starz

Starz (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), is a leading global media and entertainment company that produces and distributes premium streaming content to worldwide audiences across subscription television platforms. Starz is home to the flagship domestic STARZ(R) brand, STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels and the associated on-demand and online services, including the highly-rated STARZ app. With the launch of the STARZPLAY international premium streaming platform and STARZ PLAY Arabia, Starz is expanding its global footprint in a growing number of territories. Sold through multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms, Starz offers subscribers more than 10,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular programming.





  [february 2019]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· HIGHTOWN (STARZ)





[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.

[10/23/25 - 11:28 AM]
"High Potential" Rises to Season High as Show Nears Fall Finale
ABC's popular drama rose to a multiplatform season high in Total Viewers (12.50 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.31 rating) after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms.

[10/23/25 - 11:13 AM]
USA Network Renews "The Rainmaker" for Second Season
Across the first nine premiere episodes of the season, "The Rainmaker" has averaged 1.3 million total viewers.

[10/23/25 - 11:06 AM]
Global Box Office Sensation "Wicked" Arrives Nov. 19 on NBC
The NBC telecast of "Wicked" leads up to the November 21 premiere of "Wicked: For Good," the epic finale to the global cultural phenomenon.

[10/23/25 - 11:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Releases Official Trailer for New Documentary "My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story"
The powerful two-part documentary premieres Thursday, November 13, exclusively on Paramount+.