Netflix has finalized the cast for its upcoming Social Distance drama anthology series, Deadline has reported. The series, created entirely under social distancing guidelines, will debut on Netflix later this fall.
Social Distance is an anthology series focusing on eight different families as they tackle the first few weeks of quarantining during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The series seeks to dramatize and give voice to the frustration, loneliness, and stress the world felt when forced to quarantine. The series will also cover the necessity of technology during this time, with virtual communication providing additional difficulty and human connection in place of face-to-face contact. As described by Deadline, “through these varied and deeply human stories, Social Distance aims to provide some much-needed catharsis during a tumultuous time while also capturing a snapshot of this singular moment in history.”
The production proved to be difficult due to the need to follow quarantine guidelines. The cast and crew never met in person while creating the series. The writers worked on their own, director Diego Velasco (The Zero Hour) communicated with actors remotely. Actors filmed themselves from home, sending footage to editors and crew directly. Describing the casting process, producer Weisman Graham (Orange is the New Black) told Deadline: “Many of these stories required casting actors who were quarantined with other actors. That hurdle seriously hindered our options and so casting non-actors was sometimes essential.”
Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black) stars in one of the episodes alongside her brother DJ Brooks and mother LaRita Brooks, both of whom had never acted before. Marsha Stephanie Blake (Luce) also stars alongside her daughter Rocco Luna, who had only acted in one film, Joker, before Social Distance. Other notable actors include Mike Colter (Luke Cage), Oscar Nunez (The Office), Asante Blackk (When They See Us), Guillermo Diaz (Scandal), Lachlan Watson (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Peter Scanavino (Law & Order: SVU), and Max Jenkins (Dead To Me).
While an exact date has not been announced, Social Distance will run for eight episodes when it premieres later this fall on Netflix.