Josh Radnor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Gary Cole have joined the cast of PBS’ upcoming Civil War drama “Mercy Street,” about two volunteer nurses on opposing sides of the conflict.
Winstead (“The Returned”) will play Nurse Mary Phinney, a New England abolitionist and newcomer at Mansion House, a luxury hotel that has been transformed into a Union Army hospital in the occupied city of Alexandria, Va.
Radnor (“How I Met Your Mother”) stars as Jedediah Foster, a civilian contract surgeon who grew up in a privileged Southern household; and Cole (“Veep”) as James Green, Sr., patriarch of the family that owns Mansion House.
Newcomer Hannah James has been cast as the confederate nurse, Emma Green, who volunteers at the hospital established at her wealthy family’s hotel. Cherry Jones (“24”) will guest star as Dorothea Dix, the formidable superintendent of Union Army nurses.
“Mercy Street” is the first American drama to air on PBS (home to Brit imports like “Downton Abbey” and “Sherlock”) in more than a decade. Filmed on location in Virginia, the six-part series is inspired by memoirs and letters from real doctors and nurse volunteers at Mansion House Hospital.
Ridley Scott (“Gladiator”) serves as executive producer with David W. Zucker, Lisa Q. Wolfinger and David Zabel.