Many people have memories that they’d like to forget. Maybe it’s that time that they threw up on the school trip, or the time their shorts fell off in the swimming pool. But whatever the case, for most people, memory is something often taken for granted. For some, especially those suffering from mental health conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia, disease can serve as a poignant reminder as to the precious nature of memory. But what if someone offered you the chance to get every memory of your life back? Would you take it? The forthcoming drama series The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey explores just that premise.
Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in and executive produce the drama. Ramin Bahrani is at the helm as director, with Walter Mosley adapting his own novel The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey into the screenplay. In addition to Mosley and Jackson, it is also executive produced by Diane Houslin, LaTanya Richardson, Eli Selden, and David Levine, with Selden and Levine representing Anonymous Content. Besides Bahrani, other directors of the show include Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, and Guillermo Navarro. The miniseries will premiere on Apple TV+ streaming services on March 11, 2022.
If you're excited about this new drama series, then you're in luck. We've put together this handy guide that covers all the details about The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey that have been revealed so far, including the full cast, trailer, release date, and a lot more. So let's begin then, shall we?
Is There a Trailer for The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey?
Apple TV+ dropped the official trailer for The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey in early February 2022. The trailer opens with a younger version of the titular character Ptolemy Grey in a sharp burgundy suit, before flashing to Grey in the present. His apartment is clearly in disarray, he is unshaven and generally unkempt. When he is almost hit by a car, he decides to seek out help for his condition. He’s told that there’s an experimental drug that will recover “everything that you used to know, but the treatment will only work once.” As the trailer proceeds, we see it flashing back and forth throughout time, presumably as Grey explores memories from his childhood, young adulthood, and connects mysteries that had been lost to memory.
Featured in the trailer, the phrase “Nothing is more powerful than a mind set free” hints at a viewing experience laced with time-scaling mystery, intrigue, and suspense, as we sift through the memories alongside Grey on his quest for the truth hiding in his past experiences. The show’s promising cast and adaptation of award-winning writer Walter Mosley’s work should make for a captivating watch during its limited run.
What Is The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey's Release Date?
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is set to premiere on Apple TV+ on March 11, 2022. The series consists of six episodes, with the first two arriving on the premiere date and subsequent episodes set to be released weekly. The first two episodes are titled "Absence of the Mind" and "The Good Daughter".
Who Is in the Cast of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey?
Samuel L. Jackson is set to star in and executive produce the drama. It will also feature BAFTA Award nominee Dominique Fishback (Judas and the Black Messiah), Cynthia Kaye McWilliams (Coyote, Real Husbands of Hollywood), Damon Gupton (Black Lightning, Bates Motel), Marsha Stephanie Blake (I Am Your Woman, When They See Us), Walton Goggins (Justified, The Unicorn) and Omar Miller (The Unicorn, Ballers). Other cast members include JoAnn Willette and Maury Ginsberg.
Who Are the Confirmed Characters in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey?
Dominique Fishback stars as Robyn, a teenager who has been assisting the titular character as he ages.
Samuel L. Jackson plays Ptolemy Grey, a 92-year-old man who is suffering from dementia.
Cynthia Kaye McWilliams appears as Sensia, Grey’s second wife.
Omar Benson Miller plays Reggie Lloyd, Grey’s grandnephew.
Damon Gupton plays Coydog, Grey’s uncle who served as a mentor and father figure.
Walton Goggins appears as Dr. Rubin, who presents Grey with an alternative drug that will briefly cure his dementia at a cost.
Marsha Stephanie Blake plays Niecie, the loving mother of Grey’s grandnephew.
JoAnn Willette appears as Judge Alison McCarty.
Maury Ginsberg appears as Moishe Abromovitz.
When Was The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey Filmed?
Production for the series began in April 2021 and concluded on June 26, 2021.
What Is the Plot of The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey?
The series is based on Walter Mosley’s novel The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. The basic plot structure seems to be the same, although there may be some variation between the book and screen adaptations. The general plot is as follows: 91-year-old Ptolemy Grey is dealing with serious memory impairment and is on the brink of dementia. When the mysterious Dr. Rubin approaches him with a unique opportunity, it is the chance of a lifetime: He will regain all of his memories one time, before eventually losing his lucidity once again. He realizes he must use these memories to try and solve his nephew’s death, make peace with his past, and connect with himself one last time before sinking back into dementia.
Here's the official synopsis of the show:
"Ptolemy Grey, an ailing man is forgotten by his family, by his friends, and by even himself. Suddenly left without his trusted caretaker and on the brink of sinking even deeper into a lonely dementia, Ptolemy is assigned to the care of orphaned teenager Robyn, played by Dominique Fishback. When they learn about a treatment that can restore Ptolemy’s dementia-addled memories, it begins a journey toward shocking truths about the past, present and future."