Australian Oscar-nominated star Jacki Weaver has been added to the cast of NBC’s “The Rockford Files” reboot pilot, joining previously cast star David Boreanaz, as well as Michaela McManus.
Weaver has been cast in the pilot as Karma, an original character that is not derived from the original series. According to her character description, Karma is “Rockford’s long-time trailer park neighbour, she’s tough, outspoken activist and think-tank analyst.”
On TV, Weaver most recently starred in FX’s “Clipped” as Shelly Sterling, the wife of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Her other TV roles include “Yellowstone,” “Hello Tomorrow,” “Perpetual Grace, LTD” and “Blunt Talk.” Weaver earned an Oscar nod as best supporting actress for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook” as well as one in in the same category for “Animal Kingdom.”
NBC gave a pilot order to “The Rockford Files” reboot in January. Boreanaz stars as Jim Rockford, a “witty, world-weary and chronically broke private investigator whose charmingly gruff exterior masked a strong moral core,” while McManus is Kate, “an East Hollywood detective whose romantic relationship to Rockford got complicated after he publicly accused fellow officers of framing him.”
Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is behind the show, which comes from writer/exec producer Mike Daniels, as well as EPs Carl Beverly and Sarah Timberman. Chris Leanza is co-EP, while Greg Mottola is attached to direct and exec produce the pilot.
Here’s the logline to the new “Rockford Files”: “A contemporary update on the classic series of the same name. Newly paroled after doing time for a crime he didn’t commit, James Rockford returns to his life as a private investigator using his charm and wit to solve cases around Los Angeles. It doesn’t take long for his quest for legitimacy to land him squarely in the crosshairs of both local police and organized crime.”
The new “Rockford Files” is based on the original show starring James Garner, which was created by Roy Huggins and Stephen J. Cannell and aired on NBC from 1974 to 1980.
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Weaver is repped by CAA and Elevate Entertainment.
From Variety US