The untold stories of female spies during the American Civil War will be coming to Prime Video in 2026. The series, called The Gray House, stars Mary-Louise Parker (The West Wing), Daisy Head (Harlots), Amethyst Davis (Kindred), and Ben Vereen (Roots), and has been produced by Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman. Stories of the soldiers of the Civil War, which took place between 1861 and 1865, have been told numerous times over the years, but this will be a major look at the women who helped to turn the tide in favor of the Union.
Roland Joffe directed the eight-part show that will focus on a "Virginia socialite, her mother, a formerly enslaved sister-in-arms, and the city’s most notorious courtesan. They operate deep inside the corridors of Confederate power and transform an underground railroad into an effective underground spy network, risking life and liberty."
Elizabeth Van Lew was one of the more famous women who helped during the war; a wealthy Virginian abolitionist, Elizabeth ran an extensive spy ring in the capital city of Richmond. She cleverly used her position and influence to place Mary Bowser, a freedwoman, into the White House as a servant, where she would then pass on military and strategic information that she overheard.
It is unclear if The Gray House will tell their stories, or if it is simply inspired by Elizabeth and Mary. The ensemble cast also includes Paul Anderson, Ian Duff, Hannah James, Robert Knepper, Christopher McDonald, Colin Morgan, Rob Morrow, Colin O’Donoghue, Sam Trammell, Ewan Miller, and Keith David.
© Prime VideoThe series also has a soundtrack from major A-listers, including original songs from Willie Nelson and Bon Jovi, as well as Shania Twain and Drake Milligan, Lainey Wilson, Killer Mike, and gospel superstar Yolanda Adams.
During the Civil War, women also became famous for disguising themselves as soldiers, including Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (known as Private Lyons Wakeman). She fought alongside the men of the 153rd New York Volunteers for nearly two years, and her identity was not discovered until years after her death in 1864.
© Encyclopedia VirginiaJennie Hodgers, known as Albert Cashier, served in the 95th Illinois Infantry and continued to live as a man after the war. Her identity was only discovered in her later years, and she was buried with full military honors in 1915.
The American Civil War took place between the Union and the Confederacy, which was formed in 1861 by states that had seceded from the Union. The central conflict was a dispute between the Union and the Confederacy over whether slavery should be permitted to expand into the western territories of the United States. The Union won in 1865 and although slavery had been abolished by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, on June 19 1865 federal troops announced freedom to the last enslaved people in Texas.
Yellowstone star Kevin has also teamed up with Prime Video for a new comedy film with Jake Gyllenhaal; Honeymoon with Harry is a film that's been in development for 20 years. The film follows Kevin and Jake's respective characters, Todd and Harry, as they embark on a honeymoon together following the death of Todd's fiancée and Harry's daughter, Tammy Everett, two days before her wedding to Todd.
A synopsis on Amazon reads: "The emotional and hilarious story of hard-living Todd Cartwright who falls in love with Tammy Everett, a woman who literally saves Todd from himself. But Tammy's suspicious, overly-protective father, Harry, does everything he can to crush the relationship."
