In Production: David Simon’s THE DEUCE Pilot

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James Franco is all slicked out in his period garb on the streets of the Big Apple shooting scenes for David Simon’s THE DEUCE. Earlier this year HBO granted the show-runner, just coming off of the HBO Miniseries SHOW ME A HERO, the go-ahead to shoot a pilot for the 1970’s set drama. It follows the story of the legalization and subsequent rise of the porn industry in New York from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s, exploring the rough-and-tumble world that existed in midtown Manhattan until the rise of HIV. The concept was inspired in part by the career of twin brothers who were players in the Times Square world and became fronts for Mob control of the volatile and lucrative sex industry from its origins. Franco is to play both of the Martino brothers, but can obviously only play them one at a time. For a better look at the actor in costume head over to Daily Mail and get a peek.

Besides James Franco there is Maggie Gyllenhaal  (check her out in costume too) who will play Eileen Merrell, street name “Candy,” a Times Square hooker and veteran with an entrepreneurial bent who is drawn into the fledgling industry. Also onboard are Margarita Levieva who will play Abigail “Abby” Parker, an adventurous college student who strikes up a relationship with nightclub owner Vincent Martino; Lawrence Gilliard plays Chris Alston, an NYPD patrolman working midtown Manhattan, Dominique Fishback plays Darlene, a young, sweet-natured prostitute who’s trying to survive on the street while under the thumb of a volatile, violent pimp and Daniel Sauli plays Tommy Longo, a mafia debt collector who has business with the Martino brothers. Together they tell of the seedy hustle & bustle of downtown NYC at a time when it was not a safe and reputable place to be.

Here is one more item of proof that THE DEUCE is underway. Keep in mind, however, that this work has not been guaranteed a series by the network…yet.