With announcements coming every day, we are in the heat of pilot season.
In a new Deadline report, we are finding out actors that are most sought after by studios and networks. The early list includes seven familiar faces of color. The Walking Dead star Lauren Cohen, who tops the list, is said to be pursued by as many as six drama pilots.
You can view the full report here, but we’ve listed those actors and actresses below:
Rosario Dawson
Dawson is near the top of Deadline’s list after Cohen. Primarily a film actress, Dawson ventured into TV for series regular roles in four Marvel Netflix series, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders. She returning for Luke Cage Season 2 which returns this year. If she signs on to a pilot, it could be her first broadcast television role. She’s already passed on a few offers.
Damon Wayans, Jr.
Wayans was the most-sought-after comedic actor last year, and this year, it’s the same. Wayans starred in New Girl and Happy Endings. It makes sense, considering the amount of 30-minute pilot orders there are this season. Last year, with several offers, he took on FX’s Singularity, which ended up not being ordered to series.
Leslie Odom, Jr.
The former Hamilton star could be in his first series regular role since Smash, which is also his only series regular role to-date. He frequently recurs as Rev. Curtis Scott on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He’s recently made a foray in to film as well, starring in Murder on The Orient Express last year and he’s set for Only with Freida Pinto.
Jurnee Smolett-Bell
Smollett-Bell led the critically-acclaimed Underground on WGN. In recent years, she’s also been a series regular on Friday Night Lights, The Defenders (the short-lived CBS show, not the Marvel Netflix series) and True Blood.
Brandon Micheal Hall
This was easy to see for the relative newcomer, who got rave reviews as the headliner of The Mayor on ABC (which is pretty much canceled) and also stars in TBS’ Search Party. While The Mayor was a comedic turn, he could be seen in a drama.
Lorraine Toussaint
The veteran actress is currently a series regular on Into the Badlands. She’s always busy, having series regular roles on recent years in ABC’s short-lived Forever and FOX’s Rosewood.
Mykelti Williamson
This veteran actor, whose primary work is in film, was recently a series regular on BET’s Rebel, which the network has yet to make an announcement about.
