Emayatzy Corinealdi has nabbed the lead role in the CBS pilot, Red Line, from Ava DuVernay and Greg Berlanti.
The potential series, written by Caitlin Parrish and Erica Weiss, “explores what happens after a white cop in Chicago mistakenly shoots and kills a black doctor.” It will follow “three different families that all have connections with the case as the story is told from each perspective.”
DuVernay executive produces with Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, as well as Parrish and Weiss.
Corinealdi will play Tia Young, described as a “formidable, well-educated woman raised on the South Side of Chicago. Tia’s desire to reconnect with the daughter she gave up for adoption might conflict with her aspirations for a political career. Tia is married to Aaron, and they have a 6-year-old son, Benny.”
The project reunites Corinealdi and DuVernay, as the actress starred in the director’s 2012 film, Middle of Nowhere.
Red Line would be the latest show to revolve around a police-shooting or incident. The Gina Prince-Bythewood’s event series, Shots Fired, aired on Fox in 2017 and Seven Seconds, starring Regina King just debuted on Netflix.
Variety broke the news of Corinealdi’s casting.