The Big Valley: Lee Majors Says Stephen Moyer May Be Out of the Movie

After speaking with Lee Majors, TV Guide reports that Stephen Moyer may have to drop out of The Big Valley, the upcoming feature film that’s based on the classic 1965 TV show.

It seems that filming for Big Valley has been delayed a couple times and won’t start until the end of November in Louisiana. That’s about the same time that Moyer is due back in Los Angeles to begin filming the next season of True Blood. Moyer was cast as eldest son Jarrod Barley, the role that Ryan Phillippe was initially reported to have been landed.

Majors will be playing Tom Barkley, the clan’s patriarch. In the original series, Tom has been dead for six years before the first episode begins. Following his death, the Barkley Ranch was run by matriarch Victoria Barkley (Barbara Stanwyck), her three sons (Richard Long, Peter Breck, and Charles Briles), and daughter (Linda Evans). Majors played an illegitimate son, Heath, who is eventually accepted into the family. Briles’ character was written out after the first season.

Majors said, “The story’s very true to our original pilot. They just backed it up a few years so you get to know the father and set up his affair with another lady.” He noted that he’s been growing a beard for the project since July and it keeps getting longer because of the production delays.

Jessica Lange will play Victoria Barkley, a role that was initially going to be played by Susan Sarandon.

What do you think? Are you interested in seeing this movie? Does it make a difference that Majors is involved? How about Moyer or Lange?

More about: The Big Valley, True Blood

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