Tricia Helfer to star in new Syfy series

Tricia Helfer is returning to Syfy to star in the network’s upcoming six-hour event series Ascension.

Helfer played the seductive cylon Six in Syfy’s acclaimed Battlestar Galactica reboot. Here she’ll play a beautiful, manipulative and dangerous character named “Viondra Denniger,” who regards herself as a not-so-secret power broker aboard a starship with a mysterious mission.

The premise of Ascension: “In 1963, the U.S. government launched a covert space mission sending hundreds of men, women and children on a century-long voyage aboard the starship Ascension to populate a new world. Nearly 50 years into the journey, as they approach the point of no return, the mysterious murder of a young woman causes the ship’s population to question the true nature of their mission.”

The project is from Philip Levens (Smallville), who will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity) and Mark Stern are also executive producers on the project, along with Ivan Fecan, Tim Gamble and Brett Burlock. Ascension is slated to launch in November.While she’s still best known for her BSG role, Helfer recently top-lined ABC’s drama Killer Women, starred in Dark Blue for TNT, and had guest star roles on shows such as USA’s Burn Notice, CBS’ Two and a Half Men and NBC’s Chuck.

Ascension is one of several projects that marks Syfy’s return to deep space after years of focusing on more terrestrial dramas. Another promising project is The Expanse, which is based on the acclaimed novel Leviathan Wakes.

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