Producers of American Gods have tapped comedian Dane Cook for an early role in the upcoming Starz show. The show, based off of the acclaimed 2001 novel by Neil Gaiman, is due out in 2017, though casting announcements have circulated for months. Cook is set to play Robbie, best friend to main character Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle).
Spoiler Alert: Though it’s not clear how many episodes in which Cook will appear, the novel kicks off after Shadow, who is in prison, is released early after his wife, Laura (played by Emily Browning on the show), and Robbie are killed in a car accident.
Prior to the crash, Robbie helps out his friend Shadow by holding his job for him and providing emotional support for Laura. Robbie is also married to Laura’s best friend Audrey (Betty Gilpin).
Cook’s character isn’t listed on IMDB yet, though Robbie’s wife is only slated to appear in two episodes in season one, if that’s any indication. Laura will appear in 10 episodes, but Shadow brings her back to life with a magic gold coin after the wreck.
Gaiman’s American Gods pits two set of gods, old and new, against one another for power over the world. The old gods have roots in world mythology, including Norse and Ancient Egyptian, while the new gods represent present-day American values in media and technology. The novel, which was reprinted in 2011, climaxes with an epic battle between the two groups of gods.
The novel has been translated into more than 30 languages and has been earned the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker awards.
Cook, best known for his stand-up comedy, joins the show after a stint on Comedy Central’s Workaholics.
According to IMDB, Bryan Fuller and Michael Green created the show and David Slade is directing the first season. Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producing the series along with Fuller, Green, Slade, and Neil Gaiman. FremantleMedia is distributing the series worldwide.
