John Leguizamo Joins Cast of 6-Part Event Series WACO on Spike TV

Multifaceted performer and Emmy(R) Award-winner John Leguizamo has joined the cast of WACO, a six-part event series based on the gripping true story of the 51-day standoff that began with an ATF raid of a religious sect in Waco, Texas and resulted in a deadly fire. The series will be produced by Weinstein Television and will air on Paramount Network in 2018. The series is also set to begin production on location in Santa Fe, NM next month.

John Leguizamo joins the cast as ATF agent Robert Rodriguez. Rodriguez was sent into Koresh's Mount Carmel to gather evidence and build a federal case against the Branch Davidians but forged a bond with the people inside.

"We are thrilled to have John in this part. He brings phenomenal range and authenticity to everything he does," says Ted Gold, Senior Vice President, Scripted Original Series for Paramount. "The role of Robert Rodriguez is little known, but utterly fascinating as he was the only undercover agent to infiltrate David Koresh's compound."

Leguizamo has appeared in more than 75 films, starred on Broadway winning several awards, and starred in numerous television series. Leguizamo recently co-starred on the Netflix drama series BLOODLINE and reprised his roles in the latest installments of the John Wick and Ice Age movie franchises. He was recently signed to co-star in the ABC drama pilot Salamander. He is represented by UTA, Silver Lining Entertainment and attorneys Jason Sloane and Jim Gilio.

"Waco" will reveal the untold story exploring the TRUE LIFE details leading up to and chronicling the 1993 standoff between the FBI, ATF and David Koresh's spiritual sect, The Branch Davidians. Told from several perspectives of those most intimately involved in both sides of the conflict, this story has never been shared on television before - and is surprising in its stark contrast to the media narrative at the time and what is remembered of Waco almost 25 years later.

Leguizamo joins an impressive cast for "Waco" that has been previously announced including Michael Shannon and Taylor Kitsch.

"Waco" is written by John Erick Dowdle and Drew Dowdle ("No Escape") and will be directed by John Erick Dowdle.

Shannon, Kitsch, the Dowdle brothers and Salvatore Stabile will executive produce the series along with TWC Co-Chairmen Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein, President and COO David Glasser, Co-head of Production Jennifer Malloy, and Head of Scripted Television Megan Spanjian of Weinstein Television.

Gold and Lauren Ruggiero, Vice President, Scripted Programming, will oversee the project for Paramount.

About Weinstein Television: The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October 2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein. During Harvey and Bob's tenure at Miramax and TWC, they have received 357 Oscar nominations and won 82 Academy Awards.

Since 2005, TWC and Dimension Films have released such films as VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA; THE READER; INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS; SCRE4M; SPY KIDS: THE KING'S SPEECH; UNDEFEATED; THE ARTIST; THE MASTER; SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK; DJANGO UNCHAINED; SCARY MOVIE 5; LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER; PHILOMENA; THE IMITATION GAME; PADDINGTON; WOMAN IN GOLD; SOUTHPAW, CAROL; THE HATEFUL EIGHT; SING STREET, HANDS OF STONE, . LION, GOLD, and THE FOUNDER.

Weinstein Television boasts an active television production division which garnered twelve Emmy nominations in 2015. Weinstein Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, with its spin-off series PROJECT RUNWAY All Stars, hosted by Alyssa Milano, PROJECT RUNWAY Jr, featuring supermodel Hannah Jeter and fashion critic Kelly Osbourne. Current new series include the business focused Fashion Inc. which premiered this fall on Lifetime, and the late night AMC talk show Geeking Out.

Scripted series include critically acclaimed miniseries War & Peace, which debuted on Lifetime, A&E and HISTORY in 2016, SCREAM with MTV, which premiered its second season in May 2016, PEAKY BLINDERS with Netflix just aired its third season, and Julian Fellowes' Doctor Thorne with Amazon. Upcoming series include Stephen King's The Mist (a straight-to-series 10 episode order) for Spike TV, military drama Six (a straight-to-series 8 episode order) for HISTORY and animated series Spy Kids for Netflix (a multi season commitment).

Television projects in development explore a range of arenas and are not exclusive to drama or comedy, minis or continuing series, live action or animated. An active slate of more than 60 projects include soon to be sold reality competition show Incubator, Mario Puzo's Omerta with Antoine Fuqua and Sylvester Stallone, Stephen King's The Breathing Method with Blumhouse, Scott Teems and Scott Derrickson, and UK series SS-GB and Love, Nina. For more information on The Weinstein Company, please visit:

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Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos

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