The Erin Brockovich-inspired drama Rebel has been ordered to series by ABC, via Variety. The series will star Katey Sagal (Married…With Children).
The show follows Annie “Rebel” Bello. She doesn’t have a law degree but she works as a legal advocate. She lives a blue-collar lifestyle and cares immensely about the causes she’s passionate about. She fights for what she loves and who she loves.
Other members of the cast include John Corbett (Northern Exposure), James Lesure (Good Girls), Lex Scott Davis (Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart), Tamala Jones (Castle), Ariela Barer (Runaways), Kevin Zegers (Gossip Girl), Sam Palladio (Nashville), and Andy García (Modern Love).
The pilot was written by Krista Vernoff (Station 19) and directed by Tara Nicole Weyr (Desperate Housewives). Vernoff will executive produce with Trip the Light’s Alexandre Schmitt (Station 19). Other executive producers include Erin Brockovich, Andrew Stearn (Shameless), and John Davis (The Blacklist) and John Fox (Dolemite Is My Name) with Davis Entertainment. ABC Signature and Sony Pictures TV will produce the series.
ABC put Rebel into development last year after the script received some traction and was strongly considered for a series pickup. Sagal joined the project in January 2020.
ABC has picked up two other series for their 2020-2021 seasons. They include a drama by David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) called Big Sky and a multi-cam comedy named Call Your Mother that will star Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer).
Erin Brockovich tweeted her excitement about the series order.
This is so exciting @KristaVernoff and @KateySagal — we are going straight to series!! Here comes Rebel thanks to these bad ass women!! @abc https://t.co/etE4sGIkC2
— Erin Brockovich (@ErinBrockovich) September 16, 2020
Rebel is expected to debut in 2021.