Yahoo Lifestyle Watch the Riveting Trailer for Robert De Niro's TV Debut
If you’re seeking a distraction from the stress of real-life politics, this upcoming Netflix series could be an ideal fit. Zero Day is billed as a political conspiracy thriller which is co-written by Eric Newman, the creator of Netflix’s Narcos, and Noah Oppenheim, a former TV producer who’s best known in Hollywood for writing Jackie, the Natalie Portman-starring 2016 biopic of Jackie Kennedy.
Keep reading for everything to know about Zero Day, from plot to cast to release date.
What is Zero Day about?
Per its official logline, the series will touch on timely themes around misinformation and conspiracy theories. The synopsis asks: “How do we find truth in a world in crisis, one seemingly being torn apart by forces outside our control? And in an era rife with conspiracy theory and subterfuge, how much of those forces are products of our own doing, perhaps even of our own imagining?”
More specifically, the six-episode series focuses on former U.S. president George Mullen (played by Robert De Niro), who’s summoned back to Washington from retirement to help the sitting president (Angela Bassett) find the source of a deadly cyber-attack, and finds himself drawn into a dark web of lies and conspiracies.
Who is cast in Zero Day?
Robert De Niro
Zero Day will see the legendary actor making his TV debut, and based on a synopsis it sounds like the role will give him plenty to dig his teeth into: “As disinformation runs rampant and the personal ambition of power brokers in technology, Wall Street, and government collide, Mullen’s unwavering search for the truth forces him to confront his own dark secrets while risking all he holds dear.”
In an interview with the Netflix outlet Tudum, De Niro said that honesty is Mullen’s defining trait, which brings him into conflict with many of the show’s other more duplicitous characters. “That's the spine of my character in the show. Don't dodge anything. Don't play games," DeNiro said. "Be honest about what's going on so that the public knows what's going on."
Angela Bassett
Bassett plays President Evelyn Mitchell, who recruits Mullen out of retirement after a cyber-attack that leaves thousands of people dead. She tasks him with leading the Zero Day Commission to hunt down the perpetrators, before they can mount an even bigger and more devastating follow-up attack.
In the first teaser for the series, it’s clear that Bassett’s character is a pragmatist who will do whatever needs to be done to secure the country, including lie. “People will believe what they need to believe," she tells Mullen, explaining that the commission is being given unprecedented powers of surveillance. "The truth is the truth, but it's not always the most important thing.”
Lizzy Caplan
Caplan plays Alexandra Mullen, George’s daughter, who has worked hard to escape her father’s shadow in her career as a congressional representative.
Jesse Plemons
Plemons plays Roger Carlson, a former aide to Mullen who’s now trying to carve out a return to the national stage alongside his onetime boss. He’s described as “a trusted fixer and an unabashed hustler.
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Joan Allen
Allen plays Sheila Mullen, George’s supportive and shrewd wife who is harboring political ambitions of her own.
Connie Britton
Britton plays Valerie Whitesell, Mullen’s savvy former chief of staff, who returns to the world of politics to oversee his new and unprecedented role on the committee.
The show’s ensemble cast also incudes Matthew Modine, Dan Stevens, Bill Camp, McKinley Belcher III, Clark Gregg and Gaby Hoffmann.
How to watch Zero Day
The show is a Netflix original, available to stream only on the platform.
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What is the Zero Day release date?
Zero Day will be released on Netflix on Feb. 20.
How many episodes are in Zero Day?
Zero Day is a six-episode limited series.
Is there a trailer for Zero Day?
Yes. Netflix released the gripping first trailer for Zero Day on Jan. 22.
Prior to that, the streamer released a teaser giving a clear glimpse into the show’s paranoid tone and twist-filled plot.
