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Home , Adam Brody, Dennis Farina, Diego Klattenhoff, Harry Lennix, James Spader, John Davis (producer)

BLACKLIST SEASON 2 DIGITAL PRESS KIT

OVERVIEW

For decades, ex-government agent Raymond “Red” Reddington (, “The Office,” “ Legal”) has been one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as “The Concierge of Crime.” Last season, he mysteriously surrendered to the FBI but now the FBI work for him as he identifies a “blacklist” of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. He will help catch them all… with the caveat that Elizabeth “Liz” Keen (, “Law & Order: ”) continues to work as his partner. Red will teach Liz to think like a criminal and “see the bigger picture”… whether she wants to or not. Also starring are Diego Klattenhoff (“”), Harry Lennix (“Man of Steel”), Amir Arison (“Girls”) and Mozhan Marno (“House of Cards”).

Jon Bokenkamp (“The Call,” “Taking Lives”), John Eisendrath (“Alias”), (“,” "I, Robot," "Chronicle"), John Fox and Michael Watkins (“The X-Files”) serve as executive producers. “” is a production of and .

EXTRAS

WHAT THE CRITICS SAID ABOUT SEASON 1

Entertainment Weekly “…it will win you over by being very good very quickly at exactly what it wants to be. “ “James Spader lets the charisma rip…”

“…Megan Boone sparks nicely with Spader and confidently claims the heroic center of this action packed mystery thriller.”

“THE BLACKLIST starts with a well-produced bang that’ll hook you with the promise that it can be as entertaining as its influences.”

People Magazine

3 out 4 stars “…pleasurable, cheeky…”

“James Spader can play snarkiness, pomposity and arrogance all the while purring his lines with an intimidating smoothness—and never so much as winking at as that he’s putting us on.” “The second episode… allowed Spader more fun trapping the villain of the week, and Boone’s performance toughened…”

Associated Press

“…an action-intrigue drama with even more tricks up its sleeve than wily .” “Red and Liz emerge as the fall's most refreshing odd couple, on the season's most promising new drama.”

“One reason THE BLACKLIST works so well: The producers locked up James Spader to star as Reddington.”

“Spader has never been better”

“THE BLACKLIST ends with tantalizing questions that dwarf the immediate crisis. Getting to know this series' characters should be fun for weeks, or even years, to come.”

USA Today, Robert Bianco, 9/13/13

Named “Best New Drama” as featured in the Fall TV Preview: The top 10 new shows

“James Spader – whose knowing, dryly witty star turn as Red transforms what could have been a routine procedural into the new season's best .” “You’ll find the plot should give the series plenty of room to grow. And Spader, plenty of room to play.”

Variety, Brian Lowry, 9/17/13

“Creating a toothy vehicle for James Spader, few series can boast such a compelling central figure…”

“Spader has always been a particularly interesting actor, and he’s well suited to this sort of twisted figure, where there is so much going on behind those eyes.”

“THE BLACKLIST probably ranks as one of the fall’s more promising new network hours.”

TheHollywoodReporter.com

“Spader is fantastically engrossing as Reddington, speaking with calm authority and asserting himself immediately as in control” “Megan Boone did an admirable job keeping pace with Spader's tour de force in the premiere… She's purposeful and strong.”

LA Times “But the ace in the hole is Spader. One look at that face—those knowing eyes half-veiled by dropping lids, that tucked in smirk of a split smile wide with genius mirth—and you’re in.” “[THE BLACKLIST] …is a heady blend of character study and high-octane procedural.” “… they had me at James Spader. Radiating a kind of furious patience, he chews through scenes and scenery with epicurean delight, and then delicately wipes his mouth with the sleeve of whoever is standing next to him.“ “THE BLACKLIST set up is promising, the writing is clever enough and Boone hits her marks like a pro. But Spader? He's having a blast, and ensuring that we do the same.”

Wall Street Journal “… stylish explosiveness…” “As the all-knowing, malignantly charming Reddington, Spader is clearly having a ripping good time —the series is all his and rightly.” “… a strong beginning… one that reaches undeniably satisfying levels of menace.”

NOTES

The Blacklist is produced by Davis Entertainment Company in association with Sony Pictures Television. Distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Television.

CAST

JAMES SPADER Raymond

James Spader stars as Raymond "Red" Reddington on NBC's action thriller "The Blacklist."

Some of Spader's credits include Steven Soderbergh's "sex, lies and videotape," for which he received the Best Actor Award at the ; David Cronenberg's "Crash," which received the Special Jury Prize at Cannes; and 's "Secretary," which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature.

His other film credits include "2 Days in the Valley," "Wolf" and "Less Than Zero." He starred in 's Broadway play "Race" in 2010. Spader starred in 's DreamWorks feature "Lincoln," opposite Daniel Day Lewis last year, while also starring on NBC's hit comedy "The Office." Most recently Spader shot the feature film "The Homesman," starring Hillary Swank and (who also directed) and Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Age of Ultron" in which he plays the title

character Ultron.

From 2004-08, Spader won three for his seminal role as shameless attorney Alan Shore on "" and "," making him the only actor to win consecutive Emmys playing the same character on two different series.

Spader currently resides in Los Angeles.

MEGAN BOONE Elizabeth Keen

Megan Boone stars as rookie FBI agent Elizabeth Keen on NBC's high-action government crime thriller "The Blacklist."

Boone made her feature-film debut in the Lionsgate cult hit "My Bloody Valentine," directed by Patrick Lussier. Boone also played a supporting role in HBO Films' "Sex and the City 2," starring opposite Sarah Jessica Parker, Chris Noth and Cynthia Nixon. Her other film credits include "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Step Up Revolution."

Boone has starred in numerous independent films, including Stephen Elliott's "About Cherry," opposite James Franco, Heather Graham and Dev Patel. She also appeared in Adele Romanski's deconstruction of a relationship drama, "Leave Me Like You Found Me," for which she won the Best Actor Award at the 2012 GenArt Film Festival.

She will next be seen in the Universal ensemble comedy "Welcome to the Jungle," alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kristen Schaal, Rob Huebel and Adam Brody.

On television, Boone played the role of Junior Deputy District Attorney Lauren Stanton on the NBC series "Law & Order: Los Angeles."

An East Coast native, Boone studied with and Ed Sherin at Florida's Asolo Theater. Meanwhile, Boone spent her time workshopping with playwrights to develop new material under the guidance of Tony Award winner Mark Medoff.

In 2008, Boone produced and starred in the Charles L. Mee play "Limonade Tous Les Jours." She received two L.A. Weekly Theater Awards for her performance — Best Comedy Ensemble and Best Performance by an Actress in a Comedy.

DIEGO KLATTENHOFF Donald Ressler

Diego Klattenhoff stars as FBI agent Donald Ressler on NBC's high-action government crime thriller "The Blacklist."

With distinguished roles in a variety of projects, Klattenhoff most recently was seen in the blockbuster sci-fi flick "Pacific Rim," directed by Guillermo del Toro, and starred as a

series regular on the Golden Globewinning and Emmy-nominated series "Homeland" as Maj. Mike Faber, best friend to Nicholas Brody ().

Prior to his role in "Homeland," Klattenhoff's big break came when he was cast to play Shane Oman in the cult classic movie "Mean Girls," where he collaborated with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Lindsey Lohan. Since then, Klattenhoff has consistently worked on several films, including: "The Dry Land," "Lucky Number Slevin" and "The Informers."

Klattenhoff is currently starring in the just-released sci-fi thriller "Pacific Rim," directed by Guillermo del Toro. The film is set in a world where soldiers piloting giant robots battle against monsters that have mysteriously risen from five miles beneath the ocean.

On the small screen in addition to "Homeland," Klattenhoff has had memorable guest and recurring character appearances in series such as "Men in Trees," "ER," "Mercy," "," "Supernatural" and "Falling Skies.

HARRY LENNIX Harry Cooper

Harry Lennix stars as FBI head Harry Cooper in NBC’s action-thriller “The Blacklist.” Lennix is an accomplished film, television and stage actor who recently appeared in the Warner Bros. feature "Man of Steel."

In July 2014, Lennix announced the creation of Exponent Media Group, a movie production company he founded with longtime associate Steve Harris. A distribution deal is in place with Nehst Media’s Digiplex chain for three of the company’s titles, “Mr. Sophistication,” “H4” and “Revival!” The company intends to shoot five more films over the next three years in the $1 million range.

“Mr. Sophistication” is a drama that chronicles the return of fictional stand-up comedian Ron Waters. “H4” his “labor of love,” is a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV featuring an all black cast filmed onstage and in the streets of South Central L.A. The third film “Revival”!, a gospel concert and stage show about the glory of Easter where “Jesus Christ Superstar” meets “The Wiz,” is his most ambitious project to date.

Additional upcoming films include “72 Hours”, “Timeless”, “Back To School Mom”, “Stand Down” “Soldier”, and two films in which he both stars and Executive Produces: “Romeo & Juliet in Harlem”, and “The Algerian”.

Past film credits include “Ray,” “The Matrix: Reloaded” and “The Matrix: Revolutions.” Lennix received critical acclaim and a Golden Satellite Award in Julie Taymor’s “Titus," starring Anthony Hopkins. His other films include “Across the Universe,” “Barbershop 2” and “Love and Basketball.”

On the TV side, Lennix starred in the Golden Globe-nominated series "Commander in

Chief” and as Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in Showtime’s “Keep the Faith Baby,” for which he won a Black Reel Award and was nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Satellite Award. He has continued to work on television regularly with roles on “ER,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Law & Order: Los Angeles,” “Emily Owens, M.D.,” “Dollhouse,” “Little Britain,” as well as the critically acclaimed series “24.”

Lennix made his Broadway debut in August Wilson’s Tony-nominated play "Radio Golf." He has directed and appeared in stage productions across the U.S., including the Northlight Theater Co.’s production of “Permanent Collection” at the Greenway Arts Alliance in Los Angeles, which, under his directing consultation, was remounted at Los Angeles’ Kirk Douglas Theater.

He directed the stage version of ’s “The Five Heartbeats,” which received three NAACP nominations, and “The Glass Menagerie” for the Steppenwolf Theater Company.

As an actor, Lennix was the first recipient of an Ollie Award for his role as Malcolm X at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and two Joseph Jefferson citations for his roles in Ma Rainey’s “Black Bottom” and “Caught in the Act.” He also starred in the title role of August Wilson’s “King Hedley II” at the Mark Taper Forum. In 2001, Lennix was in the first U.S. company to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company for the production of “Cymbeline.”

Lennix has also been extremely active in his native Chicago community where he was an English and music teacher before becoming an actor. He founded Legacy Productions with renowned director Chuck Smith in 1989. The company is dedicated to promoting significant works about the African-American experience. He is on the staff of the Goodman Theater Co.

He also is active in various civic groups and is on the advisory council for his alma mater, .

AMIR ARISON Aram Mojtabai

Amir Arison stars as Aram Mojtabai on NBC’s hit series “The Blacklist.”

Notable recurring roles in television include work on HBO’s “Girls,” the Emmy Award- winning “Homeland,” “Zero Hour,” Law & Order: SVU,” “Dallas” and “State of Georgia.” Guest star appearances include recent work on “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland,” “Major Crimes,” “The Mentalist,” “Marvin Marvin,” “American Horror Story,” “,” “Undercovers,” “NCIS,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” “Fringe,” the show “See Dad Run,” and the hit web series “Blue.” Arison has also been a series regular on “H+.”

Arison’s film credits include ”Jane Wants a Boyfriend,” “Big Words,” “I Hate Valentine’s Day” with Nia Vardalos, “The Visitor,” “ Today’s Special,” “Day Zero,” “Anamorph” and “Vamps” with Alicia Silverstone. Releasing this holiday season is feature film “Merry Friggin Christmas” with Robin Williams.

Theater credits include “The Muscles in Our Toes,” “Aftermath” (Drama League nominee), Christopher Durang's “Why Torture Is Wrong,” Charles Mee's “Queens Boulevard,” “A Very Common Procedure,” “Modern Orthodox,” “Omnium Gatherum” (Pulitzer Prize finalist), “Candy & Dorothy” and “A First Class Man” (Naked Angels.) International theatrical highlights include “Love’s Labor’s Lost” (RSC's Complete Works Festival).

Prestigious regional credits include theatrical work at the Shakespeare Theatre, the Huntington Theatre, YaleRep, the PaperMill Playhouse, the LongWharf Theatre, the Lyric, the Shakespeare Theatre of St. Louis, Olney and the Dorset

MOZHAN MARNÒ Samar Navabi

Mozhan Marnò stars as Samar Navabi in NBC's hit drama "The Blacklist."

Marnò is a NY-based film, theater, and television actress and writer. She earned a BA in Comparative Literature from Columbia University and an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Fluent in German, French and Farsi, Marnò has lived in France, Germany, Sweden and Argentina.

As an actress, she is best known for playing the title role in the film "The Stoning of Soraya M." The called Mozhan's performance "powerful," while Variety wrote that she was "the film's emotional center."

In addition to starring as Ayla Sayyad, the investigative journalist on Seasons 2 & 3 on Netflix's Emmy- nominated series "House of Cards," Mozhan will be seen in the soon- to-be released film "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night," directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.

Her numerous feature credits include "Traitor" alongside and Guy Pearce, "Charlie Wilson's War" with Tom Hanks, and the independent feature "August" starring Josh Hartnett.

Other television credits include recurring and guest appearances on popular television shows such as "Madam Secretary," "The Mentalist," "Hung," and "Bones" among many others.

Marnò received rave reviews for portraying nine Middle Eastern women in the one- woman show "Nine Parts of Desire" at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Geffen

Playhouse.

As a writer, Mozhan wrote the screenplay "When the Light Went Out," which was a quarter-finalist for Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, as well as a finalist at the Nantucket Screenwriters Colony. She adapted the screenplay for the stage, and it subsequently premiered at New York Stage and Film, starring Laura Innes and directed by Kate Whoriskey.

CREW

JON BOKENKAMP Executive Producer

Jon Bokenkamp is executive producer/writer on NBC’s high-action government crime thriller “The Blacklist.”

A native of Kearney, Neb., Bokenkamp attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney before graduating with honors from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Since that time, he has collaborated with such directors as Tony Scott (“”), William Friedkin (“The Exorcist”) and (“The Grey”), and has written scripts for Academy Award winners , Halle Berry and Angelina Jolie.

Upon graduation, Bokenkamp wrote and directed the documentary “After Sunset: The Life and Times of the Drive-In Theater,” which was hailed by film critic Leonard Maltin as a “wonderful evocation of a distinct piece of Americana” The film features interviews with pop-icons such as Oscar-winning filmmaker John Carpenter (“Halloween”), legendary movie mogul Samuel Z. Arkoff (“Beach Blanket Bingo”) and satirist Joe Bob Briggs. After playing at film festivals across the country, the picture was released by AMC where it continues to air on a rotating basis.

Bokenkamp followed his directorial debut with the original screenplay “Preston Tylk” (aka “Bad Seed”). The effort quickly caught the attention of Friedkin, who hand-picked Bokenkamp to collaborate on a horror film titled “Thirty Pieces.”

Two years later, Bokenkamp stepped behind the camera again to direct “Preston Tylk.” The film, which stars Luke Wilson (“The Royal Tennenbaums”) and Dennis Farina (“”), was released by Artisan Entertainment in 2001.

Since his feature directing debut, Bokenkamp has turned his focus back to screenwriting. He adapted the serial-killer novel “Taking Lives” for Angelina Jolie and Warner Bros., and penned the original screenplay “Perfect Stranger” for Berry, and Columbia Pictures. More recently, Bokenkamp adapted bestselling-author

Michael Connelly’s novel “Chasing the Dime” for MGM, the short story “Night and Day You Are the One” for Universal, and updated Stephen King’s classic “Children of the Corn” for Dimension.

In 2007 Bokenkamp and his family left Los Angeles and moved back to Nebraska. Months after their return, Bokenkamp established the World Theatre Foundation, a non- profit organization that was created to restore and reopen the last original movie theater. He currently serves as executive director at the theater and hand picks the monthly selection of art house and indie movies that screen each week.

JOHN EISENDRATH Executive Producer

John Eisendrath currently serves as executive producer on NBC’s government thriller “The Blacklist.”

Eisendrath has served as executive producer on several series, including “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “Felicity” and “Alias,” for which he was nominated for a Producers Guild of America Award. He has created or written shows that have aired on several different networks, including the football drama “Playmakers” on ESPN, “K-Ville” on Fox and “Outlaw” for NBC.

He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children.

JOHN DAVIS Executive Producer

John Davis, chairman of Los Angeles-based Davis Entertainment, is one of 's most prolific producers, having been a producer on nearly 150 feature films and movies for television that have earned over $4.8 billion worldwide.

Although Davis Entertainment produces projects for all studios and mini-majors, the company has enjoyed a first-look production deal at 20th Century Fox since 1986 when Davis founded the production company. In fact, Davis' arrangement with Fox is among the two longest-standing deals of any active producer at any studio.

Davis' many successful productions include the sci-fi thriller "I, Robot," starring ; the $100 million-plus micro-budgeted hit "Chronicle"; the Jack Black adventure comedy "Gulliver's Travels" ($200 million worldwide); the starrer "Mr. Popper's Penguins"; "The Firm," starring ; the two hugely successful "Dr. Dolittle" films, starring ; "Courage Under Fire," starring Denzel Washington; the franchise series "" and "Garfield 2"; "Waterworld," starring ; the $100 million-plus hit Eddie Murphy comedy ""; "Predator," starring ; the / trilogy "," "Grumpy Old Men," and "Grumpier Old Men"; "Behind Enemy Lines,"

starring and ; and "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem," featuring a war between alien and predator races.

A hallmark of Davis' success is his ability to attract the industry's most successful actors, directors, writers and other creative talent. Davis is also well-known for his ability to brand entertainment, extending his titles beyond the theatrical applications.

Davis has proven to have a canny knack for securing the rights to in-demand projects, including Warner Bros.-based "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," the "Garfield" films, "Fat Albert," "The Sims," "Marmaduke," the rights to the Ringling Bros. circus story, "Dr. Dolittle," "Flight of the Phoenix," and the John Grisham novels "The Firm" and "The Chamber."

In addition to "The Blacklist" this season, Davis will executive-produce the NBC drama "Ironside," starring . Davis Entertainment has also produced 20 telefilms, including the NBC made-for- television movies "The Jesse Ventura Story" and "Little Richard," as well as the ABC made-for-television movie "Miracle at Midnight," starring Sam Waterston.

Davis was born and raised near Denver and graduated from Bowdoin College. He also attended Amherst College and received a master's degree from Harvard Business School. His successful business ventures include Blaze Pizza as well as setting up and running successful TV stations. Davis expanded and sold Wetzel's Pretzels in 2007.

JOHN FOX Executive Producer

John Fox is president of production at Los Angeles-based Davis Entertainment. He serves as an executive producer on the Sony-produced NBC drama "The Blacklist" and the Universal Television/NBC hour long drama "Ironside," both slated for fall.

In 2008 Fox served in the feature-film division at Twentieth Century Fox as vice president of production where he oversaw development and production on an array of feature projects, including several of Davis' films. While at the studio, he supervised production for several features, including "Date Night," starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell; "What Happens in Vegas," with ; Cameron Crowe's "We Bought a Zoo," featuring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson; and "Mr. Popper's Penguins," starring Jim Carrey.

Prior to joining Twentieth Century Fox, he served as vice president at DreamWorks, overseeing such hits as "Transformers," "Anchorman," and "Eurotrip."