Small Screen: Don Gilet Returns To 'EastEnders', Renée Elise Goldsberry To Star In 'Girls5eva', And More Casting News
Don Gilet - Eastenders
Broadcast: ABC is implementing new inclusion standards aimed at creating content that is accurately representative of society’s demographic composition, which will be overseen by Simran Sethi, the network’s Executive Vice President of Development and Content Strategy. Setting out guidelines for increased representation in four standards: On Screen Representation, Creative Leadership, Below-The-Line and Industry Access & Career Development, the network has set a timeline in which it aims to meet increased diversity goals in two of the categories by May 2021, three by October 2021 and all four by May 2022. Sethi has spent the past year working alongside Karey Burke, President of ABC Entertainment, in developing these new guidelines, which will apply to all of ABC’s scripted content moving forward.
Fox has purchased the rights to a new animated comedy from Jermaine Fowler. Set in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the story centers on a semi-autobiographical retelling of the comedian’s upbringing as part of a working class family. Fowler’s currently untitled comedy will join a slate of well-established animated comedies at the network, including The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers and Bless the Harts. Along with an animated reboot of The X-Files, the upcoming series is one of multiple upcoming animated comedies currently being developed for Fox.
Tony Chung has been cast in The CW’s female-led Kung Fu reboot as a series regular. Starring opposite Olivia Liang, Chung will play the rich and handsome Dennis Soong, a trophy husband in the making whose storybook engagement to Althea (Shannon Dang) is threatened by the bad blood between their families and long-kept secrets that threaten to unravel themselves. Rounding out Kung Fu’s cast are Tzi Ma, Kheng Hua Tan, Jon Prasida, Eddie Liu and Vanessa Kai. With a pilot written by Christina M. Kim and executive produced and directed by Hanelle Culpepper, the upcoming series comes from an executive production team composed of showrunners Kim and Robert Berens along with Martin Gero, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and David Madden. Kung Fu is a co-production from Warner Bros. Television with Berlanti Productions and Quinn’s House.
Don Gilet is returning to BBC One’s EastEnders to reprise his role as villain Lucas Johnson. The recent announcement marks the actor’s third stint with the British soap, having originally played Lucas from 2008 through 2010 before making a brief reappearance in 2016. Gilet expressed his excitement at “[being] asked to breathe life once again into such a complex, controversial and divisive character,” going on to state his appreciation for “another opportunity to work alongside,” his EastEnders co-star Diane Parish, declaring her “one of the UK’s finest actors.”
Cable: Funimation recently released the official trailer for the upcoming second season of its hit anime Fire Force. When unknown elements begin to randomly and, quite literally, ignite the citizens of Tokyo, it’s up to the Fire Force to put an end to the chaos that is terrorizing the city. Following the story of protagonist Shinra after he joins the Fire Force’s Company 8 division, the series centers on the delicate balancing act that he must try to maintain between his responsibilities with Company 8, and the deep, dark secrets of his past that threaten to destroy all he’s worked towards.
The Kelly Marie Tran-starring mystery thriller podcast series Passenger List is set to be adapted for television, to be under the co-production of Weimaraner Republic Pictures and Warner Bros. Television. Created by John Scott Dryden for Radiotopia by PRX, the podcast focuses on college student Kaitlin Le (Tran) and her investigation into the disappearance of Atlantic Flight 702, on which her twin brother was a passenger. Patti LuPone, Colin Morgan and Rob Benedict also star alongside Tran. Adapted for television by Lynn Harris and Matti Leshem, the upcoming series will bring back Dryden and Lauren Shippen, who co-write and co-direct the original podcast, as well as sound designer Mark Henry Phillips. Dryden described the series as “a deep mystery grounded by the incredibly human determination it takes to pursue the truth,” and showed his appreciation for “Kelly Marie Tran’s remarkable creativity,” in bringing the series’ central character to life. In addition to the announcement that Passenger List will be coming to television, the original podcast series has been renewed for a second season, premiering in Spring 2021.
Comcast has promoted Dalila Wilson-Scott as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer. The move will see the executive overseeing Comcast’s efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, including the development of partnerships between Comcast and outside organizations to provide skills training and resources for those communities lacking access to these resources. In addition to her new role, Wilson-Scott will continue overseeing Comcast’s philanthropic work, which includes the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation and other outreach programs.
Christian Serratos - Netflix
Streaming: Renée Elise Goldsberry is set to star in Peacock’s Girls5eva, an upcoming comedy series about a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 1990s seeking a second chance at fame. As Wickie, Goldsberry plays the former star of the group who hopes that their reunion will give her fading solo career a much-needed boost. Created by Tina Fey and Meredith Scardino via Universal Television, Girls5eva features a team of executive producers composed of Scardino, Little Stranger’s Fey and Eric Gurian, 3 Arts Entertainment’s Jeff Richmond and David Miner and Robert Carlock.
Netflix has set a December 4 premier date for part one of Selena: The Series. The two-part series is a historical drama about famed Mexican American singer Selena Quintanilla, developed and executive produced by the late singer’s family. The highly anticipated upcoming series is starred by Christian Serratos as Selena, with part one focusing on her upbringing and first flashes of stardom. Starring alongside Serratos are Ricardo Chavira as Selena’s father Abraham, Gabriel Chavarria as her brother A.B., Noemí González as her sister Suzette and Seidy López as her mother Marcella; in addition, Madison Taylor Baez will play Selena as a child.
Keegan-Michael Key, Fred Armisen and Kristin Chenoweth are among those cast in a new musical comedy for Apple TV+. The currently untitled series centers on a couple who take a trip together to Schmigadoon, a magical town resembling a 1940s musical, in the hopes of rekindling their romance and soon come to find out that they are unable to leave without first finding their “true love.” Key stars as Josh, Melissa’s (Cecily Strong) long-term partner who is staunchly against the wonders, or in his view, gimmicks, of Schmigadoon. Armisen and Chenoweth will also star as parts of a pair, with Armisen playing Schmigadoon’s religious leader, Reverend Layton, and Chenoweth as the Reverend’s nosy wife, Mildred. In addition to the casting announcement of Key, Armisen and Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada have also been confirmed to be joining the new series. Produced through Broadway Video and Universal Television, the upcoming series is co-created by consulting producer Ken Daurio alongside showrunner and songwriter Cinco Paul, and will be directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Lorne Michaels and Broadway Video's Andrew Singer will serve as executive producers, with a team of producers that includes Strong, Caroline Maroney, Micah Frank and Rose Lam.
