Rainn Wilson Moves on from Dwight Schrute with New Show “Backstrom”
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Fox(NEW YORK) — After playing the socially-awkward Dwight Schrute on The Office for nine seasons, actor Rainn Wilson tackles a different kind of role in his new Fox series, Backstrom, which premieres Thursday night.
He is the titular character in Backstrom — an irritable, erratic detective who, Wilson says, “hates everyone, including himself.”
Wilson says it’s been a challenging role for him, one that’s very different from the Dwight Schrute character he’s best known for.
Wilson was reluctant to star in another TV show after The Office concluded its run in 2013, but he says Backstrom was “too great to pass up.”
Backstrom, an adaptation by Bones creator Hart Hanson of a Swedish book series, was originally a CBS project. However, after the network passed on it, Fox stepped in and ordered the show to series.
Backstrom premieres on Fox Thursday night at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
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