‘Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.’: Mapuana Makia Joins ‘Doogie Howser’ Reboot At Disney+

February 5, 2021 4:09pm

EXCLUSIVE: Mapuana Makia (Finding Ohana) has been cast as a series regular opposite Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Kathleen Rose Perkins and Jason Scott Lee in Disney+’s upcoming comedy series Doogie Kameāloha, M.D.

Written by Kourtney Kang and set in present-day Hawaii, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. reimagines the Neil Patrick Harris-starring Doogie Howser M.D. as a half-hour medical dramedy with a female lead. It follows Lahela “Doogie” Kameāloha (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), a 16-year-old mixed-race girl who juggles a budding medical career and life as a teenager. Guiding Lahela — and also complicating things — is her family, including her spitfire Irish mother Dr. Clara Hannon (Perkins), who’s also Chief of Staff at the hospital and Lahela’s supervisor, and her Hawaiian “Local Boy” father (Jason Scott Lee) who struggles to accept that his daughter is no longer his little girl.

Makia will play Noelani, Lahela’s fellow resident at the hospital.

2020-21 Disney+ Pilots & Series Orders

Dayna Bochco, widow of Doogue Howser co-creator Steven Bochco, and son, Jesse Bochco, serve as executive producers for the reboot, along with Kang, Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. 20th Television, part of Disney TV Studios, is the studio.

Makia is seen in Netflix’s film Finding Ohana, which premiered last week. Her TV credits include guest starring roles on NBC’s Superstore, CBS’ Criminal Minds and CBS Hawaii Five-0. She is repped by Sharon King at SK Management in LA and Sara Parker at Principals Talent Management in Vancouver.