Poorna Jagannathan (Deli Boys, Lanterns) has been cast as a series regular in Hulu‘s Young Americans pilot. She joins the previously announced Scott Foley, Billie Boullet, Sam Rechner, Mia Isaac, Oscar Winter, and Lauren Mei. The Handmaid‘s Tale helmer Natalia Leite has been tapped to direct the pilot, reuniting with the Emmy-winning Hulu drama’s creator Bruce Miller who executive produces Young Americans.
From writers and executive producers Chris Hutton and Eddie O’Keefe, the show’s logline reads as follows: As the children of the nation’s elite battle it out at Capitol Crest Academy in Washington, D.C., their teenage dramas begin to mirror the larger political games of their parents. Amidst the secrets, scandals, and deadly ambitions, a forbidden romance between two students from opposing political families threatens to escalate tensions to a breaking point.
Jagannathan will play Maya Washburn. Once a close friend and political ally of the President (Foley), Maya is now a controversial senator galvanizing a disillusioned electorate just as her son (Rechner) is falling in love with the President’s daughter (Boullet).
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In addition to Hutton and O’Keefe, Young Americans is also executive produced by Miller and Priscilla Poriand, both on behalf of White Oak. 20th Television is the studio.
Jagannathan most recently starred in HBO’s Lanterns, starring opposite Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, in the role of Zoe. Notable credits include the Netflix comedy series Never Have I Ever and a leading role in the Apple movie Wolfs, and playing the beloved character Auntie in Hulu’s Deli Boys. She will next be seen in the Apple TV crime drama Nocturne, premiering October 30. Jagannathan is repped by Gersh, Untitled, and Hansen Jacobson Teller.
Leite co-executive produced and directed the first three episodes of Hulu’s Black Cake. She most recently directed a block of Netflix’s Age of Innocence and Hulu’s The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox. Leite is repped by WME, Curate and Srda.
Nellie Andreeva contributed to this report.