Francia Raisa Headshot - P 2013
Getty ImagesLifetime’s Unreal pilot is filling up its ranks.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager alum Francia Raisa has joined the cast of the Shiri Appleby drama, The Hollywood Reporter has learned, with relative newcomer Breeda Wool also booking a role in the pilot.
Unreal goes behind the scenes of a hit competition dating series to follow the experiences of a young staffer (Life Unexpected‘s Appleby) whose lone job is to manipulate the relationships with (and among) the contestants in order to get the vital dramatic and outrageous footage producers demand.
Raisa will play Inez, a lesbian producer behind the scenes of the unscripted show who has a knack for finding great talent for the show. Wool (Weeds, Law & Order: SVU) will play Faith, a contestant on the show within the show. The casting for Wool comes as the young actress has a recurring role on Amazon’s Betas. The duo join a cast that also includes Harry Potter’s Freddie Stroma.
Marti Noxon and Sarah Gertrude Shapiro penned the pilot, which is based on the latter’s short, Sequin Raze. Noxon will exec produce, with Shapiro producing. Sally DeSipio and Bill Davenport will EP for Wieden+Kennedy Entertainment. Roger Kumble will direct the pilot.
Raisa’s credits also include The Mindy Project, The CW pilot Company Town and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She’s repped by DBA, Emerald Talent Group and Stone Meyer. Her casting comes a day after her former Secret Life co-star Renee Olstead booked a starring role in ABC Family pilot Work Mom.
E-mail: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
