Annette Bening is about to make a rare TV appearance. Today, we learned she has been added to the cast of Katrina: American Crime Story, otherwise known as the second season of the FX series. The Oscar and Emmy nominated actress will be joining the series for Season 2 which will explore the events that led up to and followed Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina is, of course, infamous for devastating the New Orleans area in one of the strongest hurricanes in modern history.
Annette Bening will be playing former Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, who served as Governor during and following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Blanco was responsible for the mass evacuation of the New Orleans area and the following rescue of residents left behind in the aftermath of the storm. In total, Blanco oversaw the evacuation of 93% of the city's residents and assisted in the saving of over 60,000 residents.
As some of you may remember, those numbers don't tell the entire story. Season 2 of American Crime Story may follow Blanco and others as they fight with the federal government for additional funding in the wake of one of the greatest national disasters the nation had ever seen. Annette Bening's task to portray the governor will be daunting as her decisions were met with much controversy or acclaim depending on who you were talking to. Three years later, Blanco would end up not seeking re-election following a much-decreased approval rating. After it was all said and done, Blanco's efforts and battles against the federal government eventually earned her a spot in the Louisiana Political Hall Of Fame.
As for Annette Bening, the actress has had a long history in both film and television. Some might know her as the frustrated wife Carolyn Burnham in American Beauty, or as the overly optimistic Barbara Land in the goofy science fiction film Mars Attacks. Bening was most recently seen in Warren Beatty's Rules Don't Apply but despite her still acting regularly, the TV role is still quite exciting. This will be the first time Annette Bening has appeared on television in over a decade. Bening's last television appearance was the 2005 HBO Film Mrs. Harris. In the film, Bening starred alongside Ben Kingsley as she played Jean Harris in the film about the real life Scarsdale murder in which a headmistress murdered her lover in cold blood.
We have high expectations for Katrina: American Crime Story after its well-received first season. It's predecessor, American Crime Story: The People Vs. OJ Simpson was the most watched FX series of all time and brought in around 13.6 million viewers an episode (in delayed viewership). To say the pressure is on for Annette Bening and the rest of the cast to have this show perform just as well is an understatement. We don't know the premiere date of Katrina: American Crime Story just yet, you can continue to check out our midseason release schedule for more shows to watch until we learn the date!
