Disney+ has set the main cast for the pilot of the “Holes” TV series adaptation, Variety has learned.
The project, which Variety exclusively reported on in January, will star: Greg Kinnear (“As Good as It Gets,” “Little Miss Sunshine”), Aidy Bryant (“Saturday Night Live,” “Shrill”), Shay Rudolph (“The Baby-Sitters Club,” “The Present”), Flor Delis Alicea (“Love the Skin You’re In”), Anire Kim Amoda (“The Penguin,” “The Snare”), Noah Cottrell (“The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “Skyscraper”), Iesha Daniels and Sophie Dieterlen in their television debuts, Alexandra Doke (“City on Fire,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), and Maeve Press (“Everything’s Gonna Be Okay,” “Theresa Is a Mother”).
Full character descriptions can be found below.
Unlike the book “Holes,” the show will feature a female protagonist and mostly female characters, whereas the book followed teenager Stanley Yelnats as he is sent to a juvenile detention camp for boys in Texas.
The official logline for the show states, “In this reimagining of the beloved 1998 book from Louis Sachar, a teenage girl (Rudolph) is sent to a detention camp where the ruthless Warden (Kinnear) forces the campers to dig holes for a mysterious purpose.”
Disney Branded Television is behind the pilot. Alina Mankin is writing and executive producing, with Liz Phang set as showrunner and executive producer. Jac Schaeffer will direct and executive produce the pilot. Drew Goddard and Sarah Esberg will executive produce via Goddard Textiles, with Andrea Massaro of Goddard Textiles co-executive producing. Walden Media, which produced the 2003 “Holes” film, is also executive producing the pilot, with Julia Friley overseeing for the company. Mike Medavoy will executive produce with rights holder Shamrock executive producing as well. 20th Television, where Goddard is based, is the studio.
Kinnear is repped by CAA, Narrative, and Goodman Genow. Bryant is repped by CAA, Entertainment 360, and Schreck Rose. Rudolph is repped by The Osbrink Agency, Artistic Endeavors, and Schreck Rose. Alicea is repped by CESD and Justice & Ponder. Amoda is repped by Buchwald and Circle Management + Production. Cottrell is repped by Innovative Artists and Goodman Genow. Daniels is repped by Artist International Group and Innovative Artists. Dieterlen is repped by 11:11 Entertainment and Duval Mac in Texas. Doke is repped by The Savage Agency, Vault Entertainment and Myman Greenspan. Press is repped by Avalon Management and Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver & Thompson, LLP.
“Holes” was originally published in 1998 and went on to win both the National Book Award and Newbery Medal. The book has sold several million copies to date. Sachar has published dozens of other books as well, including the popular “Wayside School” series and the “Marvin Redpost” books. He also wrote the book “Stanley Yelnats’ Survival Guide to Camp Green Lake” ahead of the film version’s release and the spinoff book “Small Steps,” which tells the story of “Holes” character Theodore “Armpit” Johnson.
The 2003 film version of “Holes” starred Shia LaBeouf as Stanley, with Sigourney Weaver, Khleo Thomas, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Patricia Arquette, Dulé Hill, and Eartha Kitt also starring. Sachar wrote the screenplay with Andrew Davis directing. The film was a box office success, grossing an estimated $71 million worldwide against a reported budget of $20 million.
Character Descriptions
–Greg Kinnear as The Warden
Character Description: The Warden is the boss at Camp Yucca, with a flair for manipulation and getting the upper hand on his campers. He has created a camp ideology to explain the virtue of having girls dig holes, but this is actually a ruse; he is really forcing the girls to labor for a mysterious purpose.
–Aidy Bryant as Sissy
Character Description: Sissy is overflowing with camp counselor energy. She seems like a trustworthy big sister figure to the girls, but as a true believer of The Warden’s philosophy, her allegiance lies with him.
–Shay Rudolph as Hayley
Character Description: Hayley arrives at Camp Yucca having been wrongly accused. She’s full of heart and tired of her family’s belief that fate is fixed; her arrival at Camp Yucca will inject new hope and optimism into her campmates.
–Flor Delis Alicea as Queenie
Character Description: Queenie is the tough queen bee, a seemingly fearless leader whose hard edges cover up her vulnerability.
–Anire Kim Amoda as Thumbelina
Character Description: Thumbelina is bold and not scared of anything or anyone, not even The Warden
–Noah Cottrell as Kitch
Character Description: Kitch works in the kitchen at Camp Yucca. He is a stickler for the rules, but we’ll soon learn there is secret, deeper reason he’s intent on maintaining his job.
–Iesha Daniels as Mars
Character Description: Mars is brainy, charismatic, no-nonsense, and a bit of a player among the queer female campers.
–Sophie Dieterlen as Sticky
Character Description: Sticky is an ever-daydreaming girly-girl with a kind heart and an abiding passion for clothes, but she can be serious and driven when she needs to.
–Alexandra Doke as Eyeball
Character Description: Eyeball is a mischievous, zany artist who sees the world in her own idiosyncratic way and often lightens a heavy mood with a joke.
–Maeve Press as Shrimp
Character Description: Shrimp is the youngest and smallest of the campers, and her unusual, blunt nature makes her an outcast amongst the girls.
(Pictured, from left to right: Greg Kinnear, Aidy Bryant, Shay Rudolph, Flor Delis Alicea, Anire Kim Amoda)
From Variety US