Stephan James and Colton Ryan Join Paramount+ Legal Thriller 'Discretion' as Series Regulars
Stephan James and Colton Ryan have signed on as series regulars for Discretion, a Paramount+ legal thriller that began filming this week and is aimed at a 2027 premiere. The two actors join a cast already led by Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning and Josh Lucas. The series is produced by A24, the independent studio behind Euphoria and Beef, and is adapted by Chandler Baker from her own short story.
Discretion centres on Lenny, played by Fanning — a summer associate at a powerful Dallas law firm who uncovers a tangle of non-disclosure agreements, including one she herself signed, all concealing a dark secret. Kidman plays Sharon, the firm's most powerful female partner, who is implicated in the cover-up. James takes the role of Logan, a firm associate who becomes a mentor to Lenny. Ryan plays Boone, Lenny's ex-boyfriend: a recovering addict from a wealthy Dallas family, rebuilding his life at a halfway house.
Ryan and Fanning share a screen history. The two previously starred together in Hulu's limited series The Girl From Plainville, a dramatisation of the Michelle Carter texting-suicide case that streamed in 2022.
The road to Paramount+ was a competitive one. Paramount+ won a bidding war for the series in autumn 2025, a few weeks after A24 began shopping it to buyers — meaning studios and streamers competed for the rights before a platform was locked in. Landing a straight-to-series order (a commitment to make a full season without first producing a pilot episode) gave the project momentum that has now carried it into production.
Behind the camera, Baker shares executive-producer duties with Susannah Grant, whose credits include Unbelievable and Erin Brockovich. Matt Shakman, whose directing work spans WandaVision and The Great, is directing the first four episodes. The executive-producer roster also includes Kidman and Per Saari through Blossom Films; Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning and Brittany Kahan Ward through Lewellen Pictures; Joe Hipps of Cut To, an A24-based company; and Jordan Cerf of Linden Entertainment.
James is represented by Gersh, Range Media Partners, HillTop Entertainment and Jackoway Austen. Ryan is represented by Gersh and TFC Management. (The Hollywood Reporter).
For viewers, the draw is a cast that pairs Oscar-level film names with actors whose profiles have been rising on television. Kidman, Lucas, James, Fanning and Ryan bring a combined range that spans prestige drama, streaming hits and stage work. With a 2027 target, Discretion is still early in its journey from script to screen — but cameras are now rolling, and the full ensemble is set.
