Aflre Woodard
has been cast to play the President of the United States for the NBC political drama
pilot State of Affairs, which is being called “Scandal meets The West Wing”
(but of course).

Starring Katherine Heigl, the show is about a CIA
officer, Heigl, “who becomes President Roberta Payton’s (Woodard) daily briefer,
assuming responsibility for targeting America’s most critical threats while
navigating the unique lifestyle that comes with such a high-powered job.“

The twist is that Heigl’s character is also President Payton’s late son’s
ex-girlfriend. 

Leslie Odom Jr. is also in the cast, playing a character named Mitchell Manning, who’s Chief of Staff to the President.

Joe Carnahan, who directed Smoking
Aces, The A-Team and The Grey, will
direct the pilot and will also be its executive producer if the network orders it into series.