Casting News - February 15, 2019
Disney+'s High School Musical: The Musical: The Series; Netflix's You and Showtime's Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.
NETFLIX's YOU
- Robin Lord Taylor has been cast in a recurring role on the drama's upcoming second season - its first exclusively made for the streaming service. His casting marks his first role following the conclusion of FOX's Gotham, which ends its five season run later this spring.
- He will play Will, who deals with unsavory sorts as part of his job, but is himself a thoughtful, personable and highly intelligent guy who marches to the beat of his own drummer. That is, until he gets trapped in a bad situation.
SHOWTIME's PENNY DREADFUL: CITY OF ANGELS
- Johnathan Nieves and Jessica Garza are set as series regulars on the upcoming drama spinoff of Penny Dreadful. Nieves' guest credits include Showtime's Shameless, AMC's Better Call Saul and NBC's New Amsterdam. Garza starred in the first season of USA's The Purge and had a major recurring role on History's Six.
- Nieves will play Mateo Vega, Tiago's (Daniel Zovatto) volatile younger brother. Though essentially good-hearted, he lacks the clear strength and ambition of Tiago and is vulnerable to both his own capricious emotions and influences around him.
- Garza will play Josefina, the youngest of the Vega family. She plays the part of the quiet and overlooked younger sister but possesses a powerful spirit waiting to be unleashed.
DISNEY+'s HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE MUSICAL: THE SERIES
- Olivia Rodrigo, Kate Reinders, Sofia Wylie, Matt Cornett, Dara Renee, Julia Lester, Frankie Rodriguez, Larry Saperstein and Mark St. Cyr will co-star on the upcoming drama starring Joshua Bassett. Production has also begun in Salt Lake City, Utah today on the drama, which will premiere in late 2019.
- Rodrigo (Bizaardvark) will play Nini, Ricky's (Bassett) ex-girlfriend who just got back from theater camp after finding her voice, her confidence and her new boyfriend.
- Reinders (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) will play Miss Jenn, the high-energy, low-reality drama teacher who believes musicals can save lives.
- Wylie (Andi Mack) will play Gina, an ambitious and entitled transfer student with as many skeletons in the closet as she has credits on her résumé. She's not happy that she got placed as the understudy.
- Cornett (Bella and the Bulldogs) will play E.J., the co-captain of the water polo team, senior class treasurer, a trust fund baby, and he's eyeing the lead role in High School Musical: The Musical.
- Renee (Freaky Friday) will play Kourtney, Nini's feminist makeup-obsessed best frined.
- Lester (Mom) will play Ashlyn, E.J.'s songwriter cousin.
- Rodriguez (Modern Family) will play Carlos, the musical's choreographer.
- Saperstein (Fan Girl) will play Big Red, Ricky and Nini's third-wheel friend.
- St. Cyr (Doomsday) will play Mr. Mazzara, the STEM teacher who's all about preparing his students for the reality of the world. As such, he is often at odds with Miss Jenn.
