"Neon Demon" and
"Mad Max: Fury Road" star
Abbey Lee has joined the cast of
Jordan Peele's upcoming drama series
"Lovecraft Country". Lee will replace
Elizabeth Debicki (
"Widows") in one of the main supporting roles.
Developed for HBO by Peele and
Misha Green (
"Underground") based on the novel of the same name by
Matt Ruff, the show follows Atticus Freeman (
Jonathan Majors) as he joins up with his friend Letitia (
Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and his Uncle George (
Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. Lee will star as Christina Braithwaite, the only daughter of the leader of a secret order calling themselves the "Sons of Adam", who keeps failing in trying to earn her father's respect, and is willing to use Atticus and his family to help pave her own path to power.
The cast also includes
Jamie Chung, Jordan Patrick Smith, Michael K. Williams, Wunmi Mosaku, Aunjanue Ellis and
Jamie Harris. Chung will play Ji-Ah, a seemingly naive nursing student who finds herself thrust into active service when war breaks out. However, a rash of soldier disappearances suggests she is more than what she seems. Smith plays William, Christina's henchmen, lover, bodyguard, spy, and anything else she needs him to be when she needs him to be it.
Misha Green will also serve as writer and showrunner.
J.J. Abrams is on board as executive producer alongside Green and Peele. The pilot episode was directed by
Yann Demange (
"'71",
"White Boy Rick"). The rest of the series will be directed by Emmy-winning TV helmer
Daniel Sackheim (
"True Detective",
"Game of Thrones",
"NYPD Blue").
Jordan Peele's recent TV projects include the acclaimed remake of
"The Twilight Zone" on CBS, and the YouTube anthology series
"Weird City".
"Lovecraft Country" is expected to be released by HBO sometime in 2020.