Emily Ratajkowski, 'American Vandal' Breakout Among Cast of NBC's Kenya Barris Pilot
'Bright Futures' will also feature Shameik Moore, Calum Worthy and Lilly Singh — while Lisa Kudrow will provide an off-camera role.
NBC is filling out the cast of its Kenya Barris pilot in one fell swoop, tapping Emily Ratajkowski, Shameik Moore, Calum Worthy, Lilly Singh and Jimmy Tatro for the sitcom about struggling twenty-somethings.
Bright Futures, described as a comedy about friends stumbling through the transition from their clueless twenties to the successful adults they're destined to become, certainly cast a wide net for its crop of actors — many of them making their first appearance in a broadcast pilot.
Ratajkowski, a model and actress, has been making consistent film and TV appearances throughout her career, but a regular broadcast gig would be a first. She's been cast as Sarah, "a girl-next-door type but also with a behind-the-ear tattoo."
Moore, cast in the role of Aaron, was one of the stars of Baz Luhrmann's short-lived Netflix series The Get Down. Morre will play one of the roommates central to the series, who overpartied after passing the bar exam and now has to work as a personal injury attorney. Worthy starred in four seasons of Disney comedy Austin & Ally. He'll play Danny, an "ultraneurotic USC film school grad." YouTuber Lilly Singh plays Sid, a recent med school graduate who became a doctor for the wrong reasons.
Also on board is American Vandal's Tatro. His role in Netflix's true-crime doc spoof earned him a Critics Choice Award nomination earlier in the year. He plays Berger, a hater with a heart of gold.
Of note: Lisa Kudrow could potentially be staging her return to NBC's comedy block. She's signed on to narrate.
Bright Futures, one of several Barris projects this pilot season, hales from ABC Studios and Khalabo Ink Society. Hale Rothstein is a writer and executive producer, with Danny Segal and Isaac Schamis writing and executive producing. Barris is also an EP.
Ratajkowski is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Bloom Hergott Diemer. Moore is with CAA, Three Six Zero and McKuin Frankel Whitehead. Worthy is at UTA, CTM International, Make Good Content and Myman Greenspan Fox. Lilly Singh is repped by WME and manager Sarah Weichel, and — exhale! — Tatro is with UTA and Felker Toczek Suddleson.
