Northern Irish actor Ciaran Hinds depicts a philandering former president whose wife became Secretary of State after a failed presidential bid herself, in the new miniseries “Political Animals” that begins this weekend on USA.

Any of that sound familiar?

"The people referred to, without making any impersonations, were Bill Clinton, because of some of the behavioural aspects of the character, but Lyndon B. Johnson as well because of the way he spoke,” Hinds told the  Herald.

"The research was minimal due to circumstances," he said.

Sigourney Weaver is former First Lady and current Secretary of State Elaine Hammond, whose intimidating deadpan in the trailer promises a character familiar to followers of American politics.

Hinds himself says the Irish “cast a wary eye” on American politics, following Congressional control as well as the occupancy of the executive office and maintaining awareness of Republican and Democratic agendas, he told the Herald.

The series premieres Sunday at 10pm on USA.

Watch an extended trailer for “Political Animals” here: