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For the first time, a star-studded cast of Hollywood actors will be the representative of a TV series that focuses on the environment. The show is entitled “Years of Living Dangerously” and is set to begin in the US on the Showtime cable network at 10pm on Sunday night. The first episode features Don Cheadle as he travels to Texas to talk about dought with climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and her evangelical preacher husband.
The project is said to be the first big take on climate change in popular culture since Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth in 2006. The series has captured the attention from environmental groups, struggling to find a way to connect with ordinary Americans over climate change, and the shoe got a positive response.
Dan Abbasi, the executive producer, believes that it is a winning formula as Hollywood actors and media will be visiting ordinary Americans living with heatwaves and drought and interview scientists regarding the effects that climate change can do to us.
According to the producer, the idea was to talk with experts and descend to emotions. They already consulted some experts before, but they don’t think that viewers will be interested if there are no familiar faces to discuss the topics of the show. They need someone that would interest the audience to discuss it.
Aside from Cheadle, other messengers include Harrison Ford travelling to Indonesia to look at deforestation and journalist Tom Friedman travelling to the Turkish border with Syria to look at the effects of climate change and drought to war. Matt Damon, Olivia Munn andArnold Schwarzenegger is set to appear in the future. Abbasi also collaborates with the likes of James Cameron and Jerry Weintraub.
The strategy is based on the arguments aired by environmental activists and social scientists over the years – that simply bring more facts regarding climate change aren’t appealing if they are not done by celebrities. That is why they need someone from Hollywood to do the show.
Though, the idea is great and with all those big names in the Hollywood, Abbasi had a hard time to find a TV network that will house his show. It took him more than a year, before he can finally find one, but sadly, it needs a subscription.
And no one knows how much they can rely on Hollywood celebrities about the project. Abbasi is aware of the fact that some people are not easy to convince. The producer concluded that each star was chosen because of his dedication with environmental issues.
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