Greenlit means a project is officially a go, so all you have to do is follow these leads to stay up to date. You never know where you’ll find an opportunity to land an audition!
“The Dropout”
A new star of “The Dropout” has been named. After Kate McKinnon left the upcoming Hulu series, current Oscar nominee Amanda Seyfried will play Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Additionally, Naveen Andrews has joined the series in the role of Sunny Balwani, Holmes’ business partner and secret boyfriend throughout the rise and fall of Theranos. He served as the president and chief operating officer of the company. Based on the ABC Radio and ABC News podcast hosted by Rebecca Jarvis (who will executive produce the new project), the series will tell the story of Holmes, a Stanford dropout who founded medical testing start-up Theranos, once worth billions of dollars until it was revealed that none of the technology actually worked. Elizabeth Meriwether will serve as showrunner and 20th Television and Searchlight will serve as the studios. Also announced last week, Michael Showalter will direct several episodes and executive produce the series Jeanie Bacharach is the series casting director.
“Bridgerton”
The highly anticipated Season 2 of the Netflix and Shondaland series “Bridgerton” has added a few new faces. Charithra Chandran, Rupert Young, Shelley Conn, and Calam Lynch are the latest additions for the hugely popular period drama based on Julia Quinn’s novels. The quartet of new actors joins the recently announced Simone Ashley, who will hold a lead role in the second season. All the new arrivals—those announced and yet to be announced—will join a cast that includes Phoebe Dynevor, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Ruby Barker, Luke Thompson, Luke Newton, Ruby Stokes, Will Tilston, Adjoa Andoh, Golda Rosheuvel, and more. The news dropped over the weekend that Season 1 standout Regé-Jean Page will not be returning for Season 2. Production is slated to begin shortly in the U.K. Kelly Valentine Hendry is the series casting director. Learn about how the series made it to Netflix here, and find out how to get cast on the hit drama here at Backstage!
“Shortcomings”
Fresh from “Fresh Off the Boat,” Randall Park is stepping behind the camera. The actor is set to make his feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel “Shortcomings.” The story “follows a trio of young Bay Area urbanites—Ben Tanaka, Miko Hayashi, and Alice Kim—as they navigate a range of interpersonal relationships, traversing the country in search of the ideal connection.” Tomine wrote the screenplay for the film, and he, Park, Roadside Attractions, and Imminent Collision have reportedly been developing the project that will go out to buyers in the coming weeks.
“Splendid Solution”
“Succession” actor Jeremy Strong is taking on a timely story. The Emmy winner will reportedly star as Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, in the upcoming film “Splendid Solution.” The film, an adaptation of Jeffrey Kluger’s 2004 New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, will follow Dr. Salk on his quest to find a cure for the deadly virus. Gillian Weeks will write the screenplay for the new film, produced by Shawn Levy and Dan Levine for 21 Laps Entertainment. While best known for his role on the hit HBO series, Strong has a good track record on the big screen and has appeared in five best picture Oscar nominees over the last decade: “Lincoln,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Selma,” “The Big Short,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” No further casting for “Splendid Solution” has been announced. Read our cover story on the “Succession” star here!
Untitled Jordan Peele Horror Event
Now with an Oscar nomination for “Minari,” Steven Yeun thankfully has been catapulted onto every director’s radar. Best yet, one of those directors is Jordan Peele. Yeun will reportedly star in Peele’s next “horror event,” which is being kept under wraps. Peele is writing and directing the movie, which is expected to debut on July 22, 2022, and Yeun will star with the previously announced Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. Carmen Cuba is the casting director.
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