Marisa Davila is tickled pink…
The Latina actress has been cast in Paramount+’s prequel series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies as principal photography gets underway in Vancouver, Canada.
In addition to Davila, who stars as Jane, the project also stars Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, Shanel Bailey as Hazel, Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally and Jackie Hoffman as Asst. Principal McGee.
The musical series takes place in 1954, four years before the original Grease, before rock ‘n’ roll ruled and before the T-Birds were the coolest in the school. It follows four fed-up outcasts who dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies is written and executive produced by creator Annabel Oakes, who also serves as showrunner.
Alethea Jones will direct the pilot plus two more episodes and will executive produce.
Choreography by Jamal Sims and music by Grammy nominee and executive music producer Justin Tranter.
The series will feature new original music, written and executive produced by Tranter, a Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer known for albums by Dua Lipa, Lady Gaga’s and The Chicks. Sims, whose work has appeared in When the Beat Drops, 13 The Musical and RuPaul’s Drag Race, will choreograph the musical numbers for the series.
“We are thrilled to unveil our new original series that will introduce an incredible cast of young stars in the making and electrifying musical numbers you will fall in love with,” said Nicole Clemens, President, Paramount Television Studios & Paramount+ Original Scripted Series. “Annabel and Alethea have managed to brilliantly capture the spirit of the iconic beloved classic film which like Rise of the Pink Ladies, is both set in the past but relevant to the present.”