Development News - March 18, 2019
ABC's Heart of Life & Untitled Leslie Odom Jr.; CBS' Courthouse, To Whom It May Concern & The Us Project; The CW's Jane the Novela & Untitled Nancy Drew; FOX's Adam & Eve & Lovestruck; HBO's Untitled Game of Thrones Prequel; and NBC's Bluff City Law.
ABC's HEART OF LIFE
- Jessica Stroup has been cast on the drama pilot starring Harry Shum Jr., Katie Findlay and Dave Annable. She previously starred for two seasons in FOX's The Following and two seasons in Netflix's Iron Fist.
- She will play Alexandra Reid, Wes' (Annable) sister. They are one of the two sets of adult siblings.
FOX's ADAM & EVE
- Ryan Hansen will play the male lead opposite Odette Annable in the comedy pilot written by Jon Beckerman. He starred for three seasons in UPN's Veronica Mars as well as its theatrical film. He will also reprise his role in the upcoming Hulu revival season. He has also starred for two seasons in Starz's Party Down and two seasons in YouTube Premium's Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television.
- The project follows one couple, Adam (Hansen) and Eve (Annable), at three stages of their relationship - young and passionate, middle-aged with kids, and navigating retirement. It's a comedy about the big questions: What makes a marriage last? Do people ever really change? And, after 40 years together, why can't we pick a place for dinner without it turning into a whole, you know, "thing?"
HBO's UNTITLED GAME OF THRONES PREQUEL
- Miranda Richardson has joined the cast of the drama pilot starring Naomi Watts. She received Academy Award nominations for her performances in Damage and Tom & Viv. She recently starred in the ITV drama Girlfriends. She next appears in Amazon's upcoming limited series Good Omens and Spectrum's upcoming drama Curfew.
- As with all previous casting, no details were immediately released about the character she will be playing.
THE CW's UNTITLED NANCY DREW PROJECT
- Alvina August has booked a series regular role on the drama pilot starring Kennedy McMann. She has previously recurred on Freeform's Siren, Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and ABC's The Good Doctor.
- She will play Detective Karen Hunt, an ambitious police detective who had a close friendship with Nancy's (McMann) late mother. She has a protective attitude towards Nancy, who tends to get in hot water while pursuing her various investigations.
CBS' COURTHOUSE
- Marg Helgenberger is returning to CBS for the drama pilot starring Wilson Bethel. She previously starred for twelve seasons in CBS' CSI and had a recurring role on CBS' Under the Bridge. She also won an Emmy Award for ABC's China Beach, which ran for four seasons.
- She will play Judge Judith, who broke the glass ceiling by becoming one of the rare female judges in California. Originally a progressive voice from the bench, over time she has become an entrenched member of the judicial establishment. As Supervising Judge, she is a powerful and influential figure who oversees Lola's transition to judge - and through that relationship, she will rediscover her passion for justice.
NBC's BLUFF CITY LAW
- MaameYaa Boafo will co-star on the drama pilot starring Jimmy Smits and Caitlin McGee. She won the Drama Desk Award for her performance in the play School Girls; or the African Mean Girls Play.
- She will play Briana Logan, a private investigator who works for Elijah's (Smits) firm.
FOX's LOVESTRUCK
- Rachel Bilson will star as the female lead in the drama pilot (previously untitled) starring Andie MacDowell and Richard Roxburgh. She previously starred for four seasons in FOX's The O.C., four seasons in The CW's Hart of Dixie and one season in ABC's Take Two.
- She will play Daisy Valentine, the bride. A bolt of pure sunshine, she's sweet, thoughtful, assertive, has deep soulful eyes and works in music education.
CBS' TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
- Raymond Ablack, Michael Cassidy, Taylor Deardon and Ana Villafañe have landed roles on the comedy pilot starring Michael Angarano and Briga Heelan. Ablack has recurred on BBC America's Orphan Black and Netflix's Narcos. Cassidy starred for three seasons in TBS' Men at Work and two seasons in TBS' People of Earth. Deardon starred for one season in MTV's Sweet/Vicious and one season in Netflix's American Vandal. Villafañe originated the role of Gloria Estefan in the musical On Your Feet.
- Ablack will play Tanner. He loves Kate (Heelan) and the corner pierogi shop they run together, but does hope someday she'll relent to his white picket fence aspirations. When not creating pierogi fillings like White Chocolate Chicken Parm, he spends the rest of his day watching random male grooming and lifestyle YouTube videos in his never-ending pursuit of becoming "the bon vivant of the Pittsburgh pierogi scene."
- Cassidy will play Kellen. Everything about him just works. Always cool, calm and collect. The clothes. The Cool hair. Has a mortgage. Has been to France. He went to high school, college and interned with Evan (Angarano) at the factory. Good-natured, he genuinely wants to help Evan even though Evan clearly has perceived him as a rival.
- Deardon will play Croz. Playfully sardonic, she has been living her best life since coming out in college. As Evan's co-worker and wing-lady, she's on the front lines, night and day, encouraging him to follow suit.
- Villafañe will play Lea Carter, an elementary school English teacher, who's breezy and cool - like the Pittsburgh weather never is. Life decisions have always come easily, but when she reconnects with Evan and friends, she wonders for the first time if there's more out there. The ever-smitten Evan has hoped that means him - since 9th grade.
CBS' THE US PROJECT
- Elizabeth Alderfer and David Walton have scored series regular roles on the comedy pilot written by Mike Royce. Alderfer starred in Netflix's one-season comedy Disjointed. Walton previously starred for two seasons in NBC's About a Boy.
- Alderfer will play Morgan, a bailer who has drifted from job to job. Now in her 30s, she is experiencing alarm bells about getting serious about life. She's concerned that her current job at a "click-hungry" website is making the world worse, and that her jiujitsu-crazed boyfriend (Parker Young) may not be the one. Then she meets Kevin, and the next decade of her life is transformed.
- Walton will play Kevin, a recent divorced father of two teenage girls (Vanessa and Laura Marano). Normally secure and loyal, he is still heartsick over his ex - though he won't admit it - and has been adrift since the split. Then he meets Morgan, and their tangled romantic relationship begins.
ABC's UNTITLED LESLIE ODOM JR. PROJECT
- Lilah Richcreek has been cast on the comedy pilot starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Kelly Jenrette. Her guest credits include CBS' Man With a Plan, Netflix's Grace and Frankie and CBS' The Great Indoors.
- She will play Angela, Hope's (Jenrette) spirited and flirtatious assistant.
THE CW's JANE THE NOVELA
- Remy Hii, Ivonne Coll, Benito Martinez and Holland Roden have joined the cast of the anthology pilot spinoff of Jane the Virgin. Hii starred for two seasons in Netflix's Marco Polo and currently appears in the Australian drama Harrow. Coll has starred on all five seasons of The CW's Jane the Virgin, though she will be playing a new character in the pilot. Martinez previously starred for seven seasons in FX's The Shield and two seasons in ABC's American Crime. Holland Roden starred for six seasons in MTV's Teen Wolf.
- Hii will play Luen, Estela's (Jacqueline Grace Lopez) sweet, dependable, long-term boyfriend. When the life he's planned for himself and Estela is threatened by Felix (Hunter Parrish), he will stop at nothing to win back the woman he loves.
- Coll will play Camila, Estela's adoptive mother. She would do anything to protect her daughter and the life they have built, even lie to her.
- Martinez will play Raul, the winery's enigmatic riddler. Nobody knows Napa's terroir like he does - he specializes in collecting dirt on everyone.
- Roden will play Sienna, Felix's not-so-regular sister who is determined to save the world, one endangered animal at a time; hopefully using her family's money.
