‘The Code’: Anna Wood & Ato Essandoh To Star In CBS Drama Pilot

Anna Wood (Reckless) has been cast as the female lead opposite Dave Annable in CBS’ drama pilot The Code. Ato Essandoh (Altered Carbon) has been tapped for a major series regular role in the project, from CBS Television Studios and studio-based Timberman/Beverly.

Written by Limitless creator Craig Sweeny based on a story by him and Craig Turk and directed by Marc Webb, The Code sees the military’s brightest minds take on our country’s toughest challenges – inside the courtroom and out – where each attorney is trained as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, an investigator – and a Marine.

Wood will play the fierce and fearless Major Maya Dobbins, a lead defense attorney for the Judge Advocate Corps. She’s experienced in court and never afraid to go up against one of her own, but that doesn’t mean she won’t be a team player if it means finding the truth.

Essandoh plays Major Trey Ferry. Southern, stolid and wise, Major Ferry prefers to let his actions do the talking – but if a dialogue is required, he’ll proudly demonstrate his impressive eloquence and tact. As an active duty Marine and a lawyer at Quantico, he pursues suspects with ferocity but makes sure his own people are held accountable.

Sweeny, who serves as showrunner, and Webb executive produce alongside Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman. In addition to Annable, Wood and Essandoh join previously cast Phillipa Soo.

This marks Wood’s return to CBS and CBS TV studios where she starred in the legal drama series Reckless and did an arc on Madam Secretary. Most recently, she co-starred in USA’s Falling Water. Wood is repped by UTA, Liberman-Zerman and Sloane Offer.

Essandoh has co-starred on HBO’s Vinyl, BBC America’s Copper and Netflix’s Altered Carbon. He recurs as Dr. Isadore Latham in NBC’s Chicago Med and previously recurred on the CBS/CBS TV Studios drama Blue Bloods. Essandoh will next be seen in Fox’s’ X Men: Dark Phoenix.He is repped by Abrams, Sinclair Management and attorney Ryan LeVine at Jackoway Tyerman.