USA has given a series order to drama Queen of the South starring Alice Braga. The drama is a co-production from Fox 21 Television Studios and Universal Cable Productions. Based on the novel La Reina Del Sur, the drama is slated to premiere in 2016 with 13 episodes.
Queen of the South tells the powerful story of Teresa Mendoza (Braga). When her drug-dealing boyfriend is unexpectedly murdered in Mexico, Teresa is forced to go on the run and seek refuge in America, where she teams with an unlikely figure from her past to bring down the leader of the very drug trafficking ring that has her on the run. In the process, she learns the tools of the trade and strategically positions herself to become the leader of the Cartel.
The cast also includes Adriana Barraza, Justina Machado, Hemky Madera, James Martinez and Joaquim de Almeida.
The pilot was written by M.A. Fortin and Joshua John Miller and directed by Charlotte Sieling. Executive producers are Fortin, Miller, David Friendly and Pancho Mansfield. A showrunner for the first season will be announced shortly.
"From script to inception, Queen of the South had us hooked," said Chris McCumber, President of USA Network. "Alice Braga does an outstanding job playing Teresa Mendoza, a determined woman who defies all odds, to not only survive, but to thrive in an unfamiliar world. The novel has been embraced around the globe, and now we're looking forward to sharing this unique version of her story on USA."
"USA and Fox 21 have a long and strong history of growing together and making some of the seminal cable programming of the last 10 years. With Queen of the South and this summer's Complications, we look forward to the next generation of great USA/Fox 21 Television Studios collaborations," said Bert Salke, President of Fox 21 Television Studios. "We really believe that Queen is a breakout show and we couldn't be more excited."
