Lorraine Toussaint Signs With Paradigm (EXCLUSIVE)

Joe Otterson TV ReporterIn a competitive situation, Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully have signed with Verve, Variety has learned exclusively.The husband and wife duo most recently co-created the Fox animated series “Duncanville” with Amy Poehler, on which they also serve as co-showrunners. Poehler also provides the voice of the lead character on the show and serves as an executive producer along with Scully and Thacker Scully.

UTA has signed social media and YouTube influencer Nailea Devora in all areas. Devora has secured over 9 million followers across social media accounts, including on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

Angelique Jackson “Minari” star Alan S. Kim has already captured audiences and critics’ hearts, and now the young star has landed new agents.The eight-year-old has signed with CAA for representation in all areas.Kim earned rave reviews for his breakout performance as David Yi in Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari,” which has been nominated for six Academy Awards, including best picture.

Director, writer and actor Matt Ross has signed with CAA. Ross will direct and executive produce Starz’s upcoming Watergate anthology series Gaslit, which stars Julia Roberts and Sean Penn.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterGeorge R.R. Martin is staying in business with HBO, with the author signing a massive five-year overall deal with the premium cabler.The deal will see Martin develop new projects for both HBO and HBO Max.

One of the stars of NBC's Young Rock is getting noticed. Bradley Constant, who plays a teenage Dwayne Johnson in the biographical series, has signed withBuchwald.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterJohn Waters has joined the cast of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” Season 4 at Amazon, Variety has learned exclusively.Waters will be appear in a guest starring role in the fourth season of the critically-acclaimed series, with the exact nature of the character he is playing being kept under wraps.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBen Hardy has been cast in the upcoming BBC One, HBO Max series “The Girl Before,” Variety has learned exclusively.Hardy joins previously announced cast members David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jessica Plummer. The four-episode series is based on the book of the same name by J.P.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterPatrick Coker and Adam Wiesen have been named the new head writers of the BET series “Tales” going into the show’s third season, Variety has learned exclusively.The series is a scripted anthology of “song stories” weaving classic and current hip-hop songs into visual narratives from the lyrics of some of hip-hop’s greatest hits.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterErica Watson is set to direct the pilot episode of The CW’s upcoming reboot of “The 4400,” Variety has learned exclusively.“The 4400” reboot was ordered to series at CW in February.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe Giannis Antetokounmpo movie at Disney is taking shape, with Variety learning exclusively that the film has found three of its leads.Newcomer Uche Agada will star as the NBA great in the film, which is titled “Greek Freak” in honor of the nickname Antetokounmpo earned for his otherworldly basketball skills.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter“The L Word: Generation Q” at Showtime has added Vanessa Williams in a recurring role for Season 2, Variety has learned exclusively.The new iteration of the series follows the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey) from the original “The L Word” drama series that aired from 2004 to 2009.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe team behind “Justified” is reuniting to develop an FX series based on the Elmore Leonard novel “City Primeval: High Noon in Detroit,” with Timothy Olyphant potentially returning as Raylan Givens, Variety has learned exclusively.“Justfied” creator Graham Yost will serve as executive producer, with “Justified” writers and executive producers Michael Dinner and Dave Andron onboard to co-write, executive produce, and serve as co-showrunners.

Idris Elba gives off sexy cowboy vibes in the brand new trailer for his new Netflix movie, Concrete Cowboy.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterMichelle Selene Ang has signed with Buchwald, Variety has learned exclusively.Ang is best known for her role on the popular Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” During her time on the show, she played the role of Courtney Crimsen, who is one of the titular reasons that Hannah (Katherine Langford) commits suicide in Season 1 after Courtney spreads lies about her around their school.

At first glance, the term “urban cowboy” may come across as a contradiction in terms. Those familiar with North Philadelphia, however, know that inner-city horseback riding is a real thing.

Idris Elba has signed a global multi-book deal with HarperCollins to publish a range of children's books. The actor’s book deal includes both picture books and fiction that he has developed with his writing partner Robyn Charteris.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterLucy Hale has signed on for a starring role in the AMC-Alibi series “Ragdoll,” Variety has learned exclusively.In the six-episode show, which was ordered to series back in February, six people have been murdered, dismembered, and sewn into the shape of one grotesque body — nicknamed the “Ragdoll.” Assigned to the shocking case are DS Nathan Wolf, recently reinstated to the London Met; his best friend and boss, DI Emily Baxter; and the unit’s new recruit, DC Lake Edmunds

EXCLUSIVE: Sharon Leal has inked with Buchwald.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterA series adaptation of the Victoria Schwab novel “City of Ghosts” is in the works at ABC Signature and Searchlight Television, Variety has learned exclusively.David Lowery and Sehaj Sethi are attached to write the adaptation, with Lowery also onboard to direct. Schwab will executive produce along with with Sailor Bear’s Toby Halbrooks and James M.