Some TV and film casting news announced throughout the week not published on this blog…
— Damon Wayans Jr. has been cast as one of the leads in FX’s comedy pilot “Singularity,” which hails from “Silicon Valley” and “The Real O’Neals” writer Sonny Lee and executive producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The project is set in a world where artificial intelligence has been woven into daily life. Wayans Jr. will play Doug, a guy who loves to be in the moment, who is happily reliant on AI (artificial intelligence) and seeks out all the pleasures technology has to offer.
— USA Network’s scripted true crime potential anthology series “Unsolved” (the first will be based on the murder investigations of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls) has cast Bokeem Woodbine as one of the leads, alongside Josh Duhamel and Jimmi Simpson, who will all play the detectives who were integral in the cases surrounding the highly-publicized murders. The series is based on the experiences of former LAPD Detective Greg Kading, who led multiple law-enforcement task forces investigating the murders. The roles of Tupac and Biggie are still to be cast. “The People. v. O.J. Simpson’s” Anthony Hemingway is set to direct the pilot, and will serve as an executive producer.
— Gugu Mbatha-Raw has booked a starring role in the romantic drama “Irreplaceable You” alongside Michiel Huisman, which Stephanie Laing will direct from a script by Bess Wohl. The film follows Abbie and Sam, soul mates who were destined to be together until death got in the way. Production is set to start next month.
— “Empire” co-star Bryshere Gray has landed a starring role in the indie drama “Canal Street,” joining Yancey Arias, Lance Reddick, Katie Chang, Jamie Hector, Kevin Quinn, Woody McClain, Harry Lennix, Jon Seda, Will Yun Lee, Michael Beach and Giovanni Watson. The Red Guerilla Entertainment production, which directed and co-written by Rhyan LaMarr, tells a story about the reasons for the deep-seated divisions within the city of Chicago and the city’s diversity, touching on themes of family, friendship, and forgiveness. Production kicks off in Chicago this month.
— Neil Brown Jr. is set as a lead in CBS’ untitled Navy SEAL drama pilot from former “Justified” executive producers Ben Cavell, Sarah Timberman and Carl Beverly, and “Shameless” executive producer Chris Chulack. Written by Cavell, the untitled project follows the lives of the elite Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high stakes missions the country can ask. Brown will play Ray, the longest-tenured member of the main assault team. Chulack will direct the pilot.
— Dennis Haysbert has booked the male lead opposite Sarah Shahi in NBC’s drama pilot “Reverie,” which hails from “Extant” creators Mickey Fisher and Amblin TV. “Reverie” is described as a grounded and dramatic thriller that centers on Mara (Shahi), a former detective specializing in human behavior who is brought in when the launch of an advanced virtual reality program called Reverie has dangerous and unintended consequences. Haysbert will play Charlie Ventana, a former police chief who was Mara’s boss when she used to work in law enforcement. Now he works for the inventor of Reverie and recruits Mara to help stop the dangerous consequences of this new virtual reality program.
That’s all for now!
