“Underground’s” Amirah Vann and “Santa Clarita Diet’s” Natalie Morales each have a pilot in development. Vann has been cast as the lead in an untitled NYPD drama at ABC exec produced by Robin Roberts and Regina King, and “Parks and Rec” alumna Morales is re-teaming with the show’s creator, Mike Schur, for “Abby’s,” a NBC comedy set in a bar.
Written by Pam Veasey (“CSI:NY”), Vann’s project will “follow five African-American sisters, all officers in the NYPD, as they face the challenges of their high-risk jobs while juggling the responsibilities of marriage, motherhood, and family,” according to Variety. Vann will portray Ella, who is described as “a stand-up cop who goes out of her way to prove that police officers can still be good guys who treat people fairly.” Veasey is also among the project’s executive producers.
Vann’s previous credits include “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Major Crimes.”
Set in an unlicensed bar in San Diego, “Abby’s” will see Morales playing a war vet-turned-bartender. Variety describes Abby as “warmly convivial but never openly sentimental,” and explains that she’s “found her calling, hosting friends and newcomers in her open-air backyard bar where locals find camaraderie and a kind of sanctuary.”
“Battle of the Sexes,” “The Grinder,” and “Girls” are among Morales’ previous credits.