Jimmy Smits To Star In NBC Legal Drama Pilot ‘Bluff City Law’

Jimmy Smits has been tapped as the male lead in NBC’s legal drama pilot Bluff City Law (working title) from The Brave creator Dean Georgaris, David Janollari, Michael Aguilar and Universal TV.

Co-created by Georgaris and Aguilar and written by Georgaris, Bluff City Law is a character-driven legal drama that follows the lawyers of an elite Memphis firm that specializes in the most controversial landmark civil rights cases. Led by legendary lawyer Elijah Strait (Smits) and his brilliant daughter, Sydney Keller (Caitlin McGee), they take on the toughest David-and-Goliath cases while navigating their complicated relationship.

Georgaris executive produces with Janollari and Aguilar. Universal TV produces with studio-based David Janollari Entertainment.

This marks Smits’ return to NBC and the legal drama arena. He has starred in three previous NBC series: legal dramas L.A. Law and Outlaw as well as White House drama The West Wing.  

Dexter and Sons of Anarchy alum Smits alum received six consecutive best drama actor Emmy nominations for his role as Victor Sifuentes on NBC’s L.A. Law, winning the Emmy in 1990, and five Emmy nominations for his role as Bobby Simone on ABC’s NYPD Blue. He recently did a season-long arc on ABC’s How To Get Away with Murder and was sought after for pilots this season.

Smits is repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and and Hansen Jacobson.