John Lithgow Brings Buzz Aldrin’s Untold Story To Life In New Podcast.

Legendary actor John Lithgow is lending his voice to a new podcast about the life and career of famed astronaut Buzz Aldrin. The new series titled Buzz — co-produced by Thoroughbred Studios and iHeartPodcasts — also examines the ups and downs of the Apollo 11 mission. Throughout the series, listeners will follow along as Aldrin faces his own frailties, overcomes personal demons, repairs relationships, and triumphs over addiction.

Penned by “24” writer Stephen Kronish, the 11-episode podcast pierces the layers of a saga that’s been shrouded in myth for over 50 years. Lithgow serves as both the narrator and voice of Aldrin. Actor Geoffrey Arend stars as Apollo 11 Buzz Aldrin.

“John Lithgow gives an extraordinary performance, taking us into the mind of Apollo 11’s most enigmatic character, Buzz Aldrin, who came back to earth to face an even greater challenge than going to the moon,” director John Scott Dryden says. “A story few of us know, Buzz is an immersive space drama in audio that puts the listener at the heart of the action.”

With space flight becoming a semi-regular story in the news, Buzz turns back the clock to a time when astronauts flew into the uncharted territory of space. The producers say the podcast not only tells the story of technological triumphs, but the series is also a thriller that strikes at the heart of what it means to be human as its characters journey into the uncertain landscape of their own lives.

“Today, billionaires are the new champions of the space race,” said Jeff Bewkes, Chairman of Thoroughbred Studios. “Buzz pays homage to the original trailblazers who risked their lives to go to the Moon. This is a perfect start to our partnership with iHeart.”

The two-year development deal between iHeartPodcasts and Thoroughbred Studios, announced last year, will include the development and co-production of a minimum four new podcasts that will examine and delve into monumental American historical events of the last century. 

“Buzz marks an exciting step forward in our partnership with Thoroughbred Studios to reimagine monumental moments in American history through top-tier talent and exceptional production,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “As we grow our slate of narrative audio series, we hope to give listeners powerful new ways to connect with history in an immersive and engaging format.”

Buzz is slated to premiere May 6 with new episodes released weekly. The series is a co-production of Thoroughbred Studios, Goldhawk Productions, and iHeartPodcasts.