ABC adds Rosie Perez to single-camera comedy, An American Education, starring opposite Jack Whitehall.

Reported exclusively by Deadline, An American Education, based on BBC’s three series Bad Education, follows Alfie Wickers, an unconventional teacher in the San Diego public school system. His naive enthusiasm and unorthodox methods clash test-obsessed administrators. Whitewall, a British actor/comedian, created and starred in the original series; he reprises his role in the new series.

Perez plays the school’s tough Vice Principal, Rita Gomez, a force that intimidates Alfie with her straightforward, bullish, self-righteous, by the numbers approach to ruling the school.

Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory penned the script based on a story co-written with Whitehall and Ben Cavey. Executive producers for the series are Huyck, Gregory, Whitehall, and Cavey for ABC Studios.

In other ABC Studios TV news, Dominic Adams joins ABC’s Devious Maids as a regular. He portrays Tony the good-looking, athletic, ex-Special Forces bodyguard/chauffeur.