Michael Beach Joins ABC’s Holmes Drama Pilot

Michael Beach (Pitch, The 100) is set as a series regular in ABC’s Untitled Holmes drama pilot from CSI: NY showrunner Pam Veasey, Robin Roberts and Regina King, and ABC Studios. Written by Veasey with King set to direct, the drama explores the lives of five African-American sisters, all officers in the NYPD, as they face the challenges of their high-risk jobs while juggling the responsibilities of marriage, motherhood and family. Beach will play Langston Graves, husband to one of the sisters, Sgt. Ella Kendrick Graves (Amirah Vann). The role reunites Beach and King, who worked together on Richard Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk coming out in theaters later this year. Beach currently recurs on ABC’s For the People and TNT’s Animal Kingdom. He’s repped by Global Artists Agency.

Justin Johnson Cortez (Turbulence) has booked a series regular role on ABC drama pilot Staties, from Matt Partney & Corey Evett, Maniac Productions and ABC Studios. Written by Partney and Evett and directed by Rob Bowman, Staties centers on Eliza Cortez (Ilonzeh), a hard-charging NYPD detective who’s banished to the boonies after a high-profile mistake and is paired with a new partner, Oregon State Trooper Sam King (Karl). King’s investigative techniques don’t exactly follow protocol, as evidenced by his talking to trees for clues and his obsession with flying kites. Cortez will play Richard Spruce, the cop in charge of the robbery at the River Run Tribal Gaming Casino. Cortez recently guest-starred on Lucifer and was a lead in Lifetime movie Turbulence. He’s repped by Aqua Talent Agency and Apex Talent Group.