Rosie Perez is heading back to school…
The 52-year-old Puerto Rican actress has been cast in a lead role in NBC’s drama pilot Drama High, from Friday Night Lights executive producer/showrunner Jason Katims and Jeffrey Seller, producer of the smash Broadway hit Hamilton.
Written by Katims, Drama High was inspired by the story of ground-breaking high school drama teacher Lou Volpe as chronicled in the book Drama High, written by one of Volpe’s students, Michael Sokolove.
The hourlong project revolves around an extraordinary working-class high school drama department and the incredible students who come alive under a passionate teacher and family man whose dedication to the program galvanizes the entire town.
Perez plays Tracey, the high energy with a no-holds-barred mouth current Drama School teacher and a former high school theater person who is finding someone else with passion and vision can still inspire her.
Perez joins previously cast Moana star Auli’i Cravalho.
After filming the pilot, Perez will shoot Bounty Hunters, a 6-episode series for Sky 1 in London with Jack Whitehall.
