Sarsgaard as Ruthless Tycoon Sparks Clash With Branagh’s Highland Laird

Peter Sarsgaard has been tapped to play a ruthless American billionaire in Paramount+’s forthcoming Scottish drama *Laird*, where he will co‑star with Kenneth Branagh. The two actors will bring to life a modern Highlands saga that pits a proud local landowner against a global tech magnate intent on buying the glens.

The series, created by Jez Butterworth, promises sweeping family conflict and political intrigue set amid dramatic Scottish scenery.

Branagh will portray the Laird of Castle Drummoch, a staunch defender of ancestral lands who resists the encroaching corporate threat. Sarsgaard’s character, Peter Bergstrom, is described as a self‑made tech titan whose reach spans continents and who seeks to reshape land, industry, and people in pursuit of power.

Their clash will drive the narrative’s core tension as family feuds and buried secrets surface.

Created by Jez Butterworth alongside his brother John‑Henry Butterworth, the drama is backed by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios. Joe Wright, who helmed two episodes of *The Agency*, will direct the pilot.

Executive producers include Branagh, Jez and John‑Henry Butterworth, Wright, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Charles Finch and Keith Cox.

## Background & Context

Sarsgaard was recently featured in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feature *The Bride!*, alongside a star‑studded cast that includes Christian Bale, Jessie Buckley, Annette Bening and Penelope Cruz. On television he earned two Emmy nominations for *Dopesick* and *Presumed Innocent*, both written by prominent creators.

The actor is represented by WME and Peikoff/Mahan.

Jez Butterworth, the series’ creator, is known for his work on *MobLand* and *The Agency*, the latter co‑created with his brother John‑Henry. Georgia Lee contributed as a Partner Track developer. Joe Wright, who directed early episodes of *The Agency*, will helm *Laird*’s pilot episode.

*Laird* is set in the modern Scottish Highlands and follows a proud Scot who defies a shadowy American billionaire eager to acquire the glens. The narrative weaves family feuds, buried secrets, and star‑crossed romances into a sweeping saga that pits traditional land stewardship against oligarchical land grabbing.

## What Happened

Paramount+ announced the new Highland drama *Laird* with a press release that highlighted Peter Sarsgaard’s role as the ruthless tech magnate and Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal of the Laird of Castle Drummoch. The collaboration signals a blend of cinematic gravitas and sharp political storytelling.

Sarsgaard’s Peter Bergstrom is portrayed as a ruthless, self‑made tech titan whose influence stretches across continents and who seeks to use land, industry and people as extensions of his ambition. Branagh’s Laird is determined to protect his ancestral lands from oligarchical land grabbing.

Joe Wright will direct the pilot episode, while the series is produced by Paramount Television Studios and 101 Studios. Executive producers include Branagh, Jez Butterworth, John‑Henry Butterworth, Wright, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Charles Finch and Keith Cox.

## What Happens Next

Sarsgaard is slated to appear opposite Callum Turner in the television adaptation of *Neuromancer* and will also star in the films *Erosion*, *Zero K* and *Road House 2*. He will also appear in *DTF St. Louis* with David Harbour, Jason Bateman and Linda Cardellini.

While production has begun on the pilot, no official release date for *Laird* has been announced. The series remains a Paramount+ original slated for future delivery.

With Sarsgaard’s return to a high‑stakes drama and Branagh’s seasoned presence, *Laird* promises to blend rugged Highland lore with contemporary corporate ambition, setting the stage for a compelling saga that could redefine television’s approach to land and power.