NBC has found its leading lady for drama pilot Odyssey.
Pushing Daisies alum Anna Friel will star in the Traffic-like thriller from writer/executive producer Peter Horton, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, with The Carrie Diaries favorite Jake Robinson has also boarding the project.
Odyssey centers on three families who are torn apart when a stranded female soldier, a disillusioned corporate attorney and a disrespected political activist are pulled into the same shocking international military conspiracy.
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Friel, who most recently co-starred in Showtime's Kyle Chandler pilot The Vatican, will play Sgt. Odelle Ballard, the only woman in the squad who is a fierce leader and left her husband and child at home. Robinson, who recurs on The CW's sophomore drama as Walt's boyfriend Bennet, will play Harrison Wolcott, a member of a group of protesters against the G8 summit in New York. He's a vehement anti-capitalist and the son of a wealthy member of the financial elite. The character is destined to stumble upon a conspiracy and, in time, make real change in the world.
The Following's Adam Armus and Kay Foster will pen the script and executive produce alongside Peter Horton, who will direct the pilot and pen episodes should the project move forward.
Friel's credits include Bryan Fuller's Pushing Daisies and features Limitless and Land of the Lost. She's repped by UTA and Ken McReddie Associates.
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For Robinson -- who received a straight offer for the project without having to test, Odyssey is in first position to Carrie Diaries since he is not considered a series regular. Should Odyssey and Carrie both move forward, the actor hopes to be able to work on both. He's repped by Innovative and Laurie Smith at Smith Talent Group.
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
