Roma Downey begins work on new faith-based family TV series 'The Baxters'
Roma Downey is facing the cameras again as she stars in a new faith-based family TV series. The Christian actress and star of the widely popular drama "Touched By An Angel" (1994 to 2003) will star in "The Baxters," which will begin production this week for MGM's digital platform.
Based on a novel from Karen Kingsbury, "The Baxters" will feature a big family with six adult children. Told in six half-hour episodes, the series will circle around inspirational stories of love, loss, faith and family.
The series is executive produced by Will Packer and Jaime Primak Sullivan of Will Packer Media in addition to Downey's LightWorkers Media, and Kevin Mann and Brendan Bragg of Haven Entertainment.
"We have assembled a talented cast and creative team to lead 'The Baxters,' LightWorkers' first premium scripted digital series," Downey stated in the press release. "We look forward to bringing this beloved story to life for a whole new audience."
Downey will play the matriarch opposite Ted McGinley ("God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness"). The rest of the cast includes Trevor Donovan ("Melissa & Joey"), Cassidy Gifford ("God's Not Dead"), Taylour Paige ("Hit The Floor"), Josh Plasse ("Grey's Anatomy"), Masey McLain ("I'm Not Ashamed") and Damien Leake ("Men of a Certain Age").
The actress and producer has been working on "The Baxters" for five years. The project finally came together when MGM, LightWorkers Media and Will Packer Media worked out a deal to develop the series as a digital series.
Premiere details to "The Baxters" have not yet been ironed out at MGM. Author Kingsbury, who first published the book series in 2002, expressed excitement over her stories getting a screen adaptation. She has been actively on the set of the show's production and sharing the updates on Twitter.
I must be dreaming!!! I am here on set at #TheBaxters TV Show and I'm in the BAXTER HOUSE ... watching John and Elizabeth pray, listening to Kari and Luke talk about what love means, seeing them at the breakfast table. YOU are going to LOVE this!!!! More details coming soon. pic.twitter.com/oXlBTbsPTB
— Karen Kingsbury (@KarenKingsbury) April 11, 2018
Downey and her husband Mark Burnett, who created "Survivor" and "The Apprentice," formed LightWorkers Media in 2011 to bring positive content to media. Downey told The Christian Post during the production outfit's launch, "With all the negative news in the world lately, I wanted to start a movement of love, kindness, and hope through LightWorkers.com to serve as a reminder that there are still good people in the world doing incredible things."