J. August Richards Joins ‘The Gospel Of Kevin’ ABC Pilot, Startup Comedy Adds Hillary Anne Matthews

J. August Richards (Notorious) has booked a series regular role opposite Jason Ritter in ABC’s The Gospel of Kevin, an hourlong drama pilot from veteran showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters and ABC Studios. Written/executive produced by Fazekas and Butters and directed by Paul McGuigan, The Gospel of Kevin is a light one-hour about Kevin (Ritter), a down-on-his-luck man who is tasked by God with a mission to save the world. Kevin is a cluelessly self-serving jerk who’s on a dangerous path to despair. After a failed suicide attempt, he’s going home to stay with his widowed twin sister and niece for a time, only to be met with a crisis in the person Yvette (Christina Alonso). Richards will play Deputy Nathan Purcell, a friend of the family and Deputy of the town. Richards was most recently seen in ABC series Notorious. His previous credits include the role of Mike Peterson/Deathlok on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and a recurring role on Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce. He’s repped by Charlton Blackburne Management & APA.

Newcomer Hillary Anne Matthews has landed a series regular role opposite Zach Braff in ABC’s untitled single-camera startup comedy pilot (formerly known as Start Up) toplined and directed by the Scrubs star. It hails from Sony TV and studio-based Davis Entertainment. Written by Tarses, the comedy is based on Alex Blumberg’s podcast Start Up. It is a show about all the things that happen — the good, the bad and the ugly — when Alex (Braff), a guy in his mid-30s with a wife and two kids, makes the crazy decision to quit his good job and dive into the brave new world of starting a business. Matthews will play Deirdre, the woman who also quits her job to follow Braff’s character on his new endeavor. Matthews is a regular performer at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, and previously guest-starred on New Girl. She’s repped by Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment.