Rob Lowe to Narrate National Geographic Channel's Three-Night Miniseries Event The '90s: The Last Great Decade?

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Geographic Channels (NGC) announced today that Rob Lowe will return to the network as narrator of the three-night summer miniseries event The '90s: The Last Great Decade?. No stranger to NGC, Lowe starred as President John F. Kennedy in last fall's critically acclaimed Killing Kennedy, the network's most-watched program ever and for which he received a 2013 Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination, and served as narrator for The '80s: The Decade That Made Us last spring. Lowe will be the viewer's guide through the program, the first definitive examination of the era of White House interns, grunge, overalls and Viagra.

"We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Rob Lowe, an incredibly versatile and talented actor," said Heather Moran, EVP of programming and strategy. "Using his charismatic storytelling, memorable footage and original interviews, we hope to ignite conversation about what the '90s tells us about ourselves today. Was it a transitional period between the exuberant '80s and the war-torn '00s, or a decade filled with long-armed innovation that still resonates today?"

"I'm excited to be back working with the team at National Geographic Channel, who continue to show their commitment to creating great, entertaining and thought-provoking television programming. No one has really examined the '90s like this before, and I think viewers will be fascinated by the dramatic changes we've seen in even the small amount of time that's passed since Y2K."

The '90s: The Last Great Decade? revisits the decade through "inside out" storytelling and analysis via 120 original interviews — from unsung heroes behind the decade's most riveting stories to the biggest names in politics, tech, movies and music. They reveal a decade of highs and lows: Bill Clinton swept into office on the promise of change; we all made new "Friends"; the LA Riots kept us glued to our TVs; Nirvana gave Generation X a voice but everyone danced the Macarena; and "The Real World" and Jerry Springer changed the television programming landscape. With a star-studded cast of actors, eyewitnesses, politicians and celebrity interviewees, The '90s tells the story of 10 years before boom turned into bust; 10 years when the Web was wide open; 10 years before global terror hit hard.

Partnering again with Nutopia, the critically acclaimed creator of mega-documentaries including "America The Story of Us" and "The '80s," The '90s will premiere over three nights in July 2014 on National Geographic Channel in the U.S., followed globally in 440 million homes in 171 countries and in 45 languages, and on the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo.

Nutopia's Jane Root and Peter Lovering are executive producers, and supervising producer is Fred Hepburn. For National Geographic Channels, Erik Nelson and Michael Cascio are executive producers; Alan Eyres is senior vice president, programming and development; Lynn Sadofsky is vice president, production and development; and Heather Moran is EVP of programming and strategy.

About Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe has established himself as one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. He made his feature film debut in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Outsiders," then went on to star in other popular dramas such as "St. Elmo's Fire," "About Last Night" and "Bad Influence," as well as the blockbuster comedies "Wayne's World" and "Tommy Boy." After "Wayne's World," Lowe re-teamed with Mike Myers in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." Lowe's movie credits also include "A View from the Top," "Class," "The Hotel New Hampshire," "Oxford Blues," "Youngblood," "Square Dance," "Masquerade" and "Mulholland Falls."

Additionally, Lowe starred as Sam Seaborn on the NBC drama "The West Wing" for four seasons, from 1999 to 2003. During that time, the show won a record four consecutive Emmys for Outstanding Drama. His performance earned him an Emmy nomination, as well as two Golden Globe nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He was nominated three times for the Screen Actors Guild Award, winning twice.

From May 2010 to January 2013, Lowe starred in the cast of NBC's "Parks and Recreation," playing the role of Chris Traeger, an auditor who seeks to dig the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Ind., out of its financial abyss. His recent television work also includes a multi-episode appearance on Showtime's "Californication," in which Lowe played unpredictable megawatt movie star Eddie Nero; his Golden Globe-nominated performance as Dr. Jack Startz on in HBO's "Behind the Candelabra," starring opposite Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, and directed by Steven Soderbergh; and his SAG-nominated turn as President John F. Kennedy in National Geographic Channel's KILLING KENNEDY, the most-watched program ever for the network.

National Geographic Channel
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Networks. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission. Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD. In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled. The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in over 85 million U.S. homes. Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

SOURCE National Geographic Channel