EXCLUSIVE: Station 19 star Jaina Lee Ortiz is returning to ABC as a collection common on the community’s upcoming hourlong collection RJ Decker headlined by Scott Speedman. The challenge, from Elementary creator Rob Doherty primarily based on the 1987 novel Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen, is slated to premiere in midseason.
RJ Decker, from twentieth Tv, facilities on the eponymous RJ Decker (Speedman), a disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con who begins over as a personal investigator within the colorful-if-crime-filled world of South Florida. The collection follows him deal with instances that vary from barely odd to outright weird with the assistance of his journalist ex, her police detective spouse, and a shadowy new benefactor, a lady from his previous who could possibly be his best ally… or his one-way ticket again to jail.
Ortiz will play Emi Ochoa, the shrewd-if-unpredictable daughter of a really highly effective, very corrupt state senator with ties to RJ’s (Speedman) previous.
The function, initially named Shay Bennett, was performed by Weruche Opia within the pilot. It was revealed on the time of the collection pickup in late September that will probably be recast.
Along with Speedman and Ortiz, the collection common solid contains Kevin Rankin as Aloysius ‘Want’ Aiken, Adelaide Clemens as Catherine Delacroix, Bevin Bru as Melody ‘Mel’ Romero.
Doherty govt produces alongside Hiaaseen, Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman. Paul McGuigan directs and govt produces. Speedman is a producer.
Speedman and Ortiz are each a part of ABC/Shondaland’s Gray’s Anatomy universe. Speedman was a collection common and continues to recur on the mothership collection, presently in its twenty second season. Ortiz was the feminine lead of spinoff collection Station 19, which aired for seven seasons. The 2 appeared in two Gray’s Anatomy episodes collectively, which had been a part of Station 19 crossovers.
Ortiz’s breakout function was reverse Morris Chestnut on the Fox drama collection Rosewood. She lately wrapped the Sony motion characteristic Archangel reverse Jim Caviezel, Garret Dillahunt and Shea Wigham and was additionally seen alongside Dennis Quaid and Jay Hernandez within the indie The Lengthy Sport, which premiered on the 2023 SXSW Movie Competition the place it received the Narrative Highlight Viewers Award. Ortiz is repped by Hyperlink Leisure.
