Viola Davis and Sam Heughan to star in Paramount+ thriller Ascent

Paramount+ has announced the casting for its upcoming character-driven thriller, Ascent. The series will star Viola Davis as Catriona, an elite corporate fixer who must use her ruthless skills to protect her estranged daughter. Sam Heughan will portray Conal, a top agent for Ascent Ventures described as a charming and ruthless chameleon.

Oscar winner Amy Madigan has also joined the cast as Rachel, a former executive at Ascent Ventures and a lifelong mentor to Catriona. The series is created by John Logan, who will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Other executive producers include Michael Aguilar, Viola Davis, and Julius Tennon via JuVee Productions.

Set in the high-stakes world of global corporate crisis and damage control, Ascent is produced by Paramount Television Studios. Production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles in 2027.