Callie Hernandez Joins Epix Comedy Series ‘Graves’; Showtime’s Lena Waithe Pilot Casts 2

Callie Hernandez has booked a series regular role opposite Nick Nolte in Epix original series Graves, a single-camera half-hour political satire produced by Lionsgate. In Graves, 25 years after his presidency, former Commander in Chief Richard Graves (Nolte) has the epiphany that his policies have damaged the country for decades and so, with his young assistant (Skylar Astin), he goes on a Don Quixote-like journey to right his administration’s wrongs just as his wife, the former First Lady, decides to follow her own political ambitions. Hernandez will play Samantha, a tattooed, free spirit who’s waiting tables in a small Santa Fe coffee shop when President Graves enters her life and finds her take on the world to be what’s lacking in his. Becoming his muse, Samantha is often along for the journey with Graves and Isaiah as he seeks to right his self-perceived wrongs. Hernandez’s recent credits include the Robert Rodriguez pics Sin City: A Dame To Kill For and Machete Kills. She’s repped by CAA and Management 360.

British actor Tosin Cole (East Enders) and newcomer Kiki Layne have joined the cast of Showtime’s Chicago-set hourlong drama pilot from Dear White People‘s Lena Waithe, Common, Clark Johnson and Aaron Kaplan. Written by writer-producer-actress Waithe, the untitled drama is described as a relevant, timely and distinctive coming-of-age story of a young African-American male in which just growing up can be a matter of life and death. Cole will play Brandon, whose mother is an alcoholic (Olivia Dawson), his brother Coogie is a street criminal, but Brandon is a dishwasher at a fancy upscale restaurant, and hopes to pass the test to be an assistant cook. Layne is Keisha, is Kevin’s (Alex Henderson) older sister, who is also the current object of Emmett’s (Tequan Richmond) affection, and doesn’t much care about the fact that he already has three children by three other women. Cole is repped by Curtis Brown and Sherpa Management, Layne is with Grossman & Jack Talent in Chicago.