About 20 years ago, Julia Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Erin Brockovich in the feature film of the same name. For those who haven’t seen the biographical movie, the film tells the story of legal clerk and environmental activist Erin Brockovich as she pursued the huge case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company in 1993 that brought attention to their contamination of the drinking water in Hinkley, California.
Since then, Erin has participated in other environmental litigation cases and has really made a name for herself within the industry. As such an influential figure in environmental activism and with the continuously rising interest in this across the globe, it makes complete sense to bring Erin and her amazing work even further into the limelight.
ABC has taken it upon themselves to do just that with their new series titled Rebel.
Just this September 2020, ABC ordered Rebel straight to series with ten episodes, alongside two other projects from their pilots: Big Sky and Call Your Mother.
Back in June, Rebel was one of five potential ABC productions to receive the green light to begin production once it was deemed safe. The network had also approved the creation of a writer’s room for the show, which Deadline reports has produced six scripts already.
Rebel is set to premiere on April 8th, so here’s everything we know about this upcoming series so far!
Who’s in charge?
Rebel comes from executive producer and longtime showrunner of Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19, Krista Vernoff, who is also credited as the writer for the pilot episode directed by Tara Nicole Weyr. Vernoff will also be executive producing alongside Brockovich herself and Alexandre Schmitt through Vernoff’s company Trip the Light, alongside John Davis and John Fox from Davis Entertainment and Andrew Stearn. Co-producing is Mike Stein, also from Davis Entertainment.
Fellow production studios handling Rebel are ABC Signature as part of Disney TV Studios in association with Sony Pictures Television.
What’s Rebel about?
Unlike the Erin Brockovich film that featured the title role as the main character, Rebel is instead inspired by Brockovich’s life and achievements and follows Annie “Rebel” Bello.
In the announcement from Hollywood Reporter, Rebel is described as “a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. She’s a funny, mess, brilliant and fearless woman who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves. When Rebel applies herself to a fight she believes in, she will win at almost any cost.”
Who’s starring in Rebel?
The title role will be played by Katey Sagal, who you can also watch in Sons of Anarchy and The Connors.
Opposite her in the male lead will be Andy Garcia in his first major TV role playing Julian Cruz, the widowed lawyer who Rebel consults for and who constantly feels irritated at being dragged into yet another demanding case.
Joining them on the cast are John Corbett as Rebel’s third husband Grady Bello who she’s been with for the last 10 years.
James Lesure as Rebel’s second husband and corporate lawyer Benji Ray. And Tamala Jones as Benji’s sister and Rebel’s investigator Lana.
Ariela Barer as Grady and Rebel’s adopted daughter Ziggie. Lex Scott Davis as Rebel and Benji’s attorney daughter Cassidy. And Kevin Zegers as Rebel’s doctor son Nate.
As well as Sam Palladio as Luke, a junior associate in Benji’s law firm. And Dan Bucatinsky as Jason Erickson, a professor whose help Rebel seeks.
And most recently Timeless alum Abigail Spencer recently joined the cast in a recurring role as Misha, a cardiothoracic surgeon who has a history with Rebel’s son Nate and who will be studying the heart valve that’s at the forefront of the case Rebel will be persuing in the series premiere episode.
Catch Rebel when it premieres on ABC on Thursday, April 8th!