According to The Hollywood Reporter, Andy Garcia (Ballers) has been tapped to star in ABC drama pilot Rebel.
From Krista Vernoff (Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19), Rebel tells the story of Annie “Rebel” Bello (Katey Sagal), a blue collar legal advocate who doesn’t let her lack of a law degree keep her from championing causes she believes in. The series is said to be inspired by the life of Erin Brockovitch.
Garcia will play Julian Cruz, a lawyer Rebel often guilt trips into taking on demanding cases. He’s a smart, down-to-earth widower still reeling from his loss two years ago.
Rebel is one of several dramas in contention at ABC for 2020-21, joining thirtysomething sequel thirtysomething(else); plane crash tale Wreckage; gothic soap The Brides, about the relationship between the three Brides of Dracula; and family restaurant saga Harlem’s Kitchen. The network already has a straight-to-series order in David E. Kelley PI drama The Big Sky and a “second cycle” drama pilot in decade-hopping medical series Triage.
In addition to the HBO comedy, Garcia’s television credits include Modern Love, Doll & Em, and George Lopez. He’s currently attached to NBC comedy The Kenan Show as a series regular, but there’s no word as to whether he’ll still be involved with the show following its creative reboot.
