Shanola Hampton is set to lead the cast of Nkechi Okoro Carroll’s missing-person drama Found, which was just handed a series order from NBC. Arlen Escarpeta, Gabrielle Walsh, Karan Oberoi, Kelli Williams, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Brett Dalton are also cast.
READ: Denzel Washington is Reuniting with ‘Man on Fire’ Co-Star Dakota Fanning For Equalizer 3
Carroll penned the one-hour drama that is based on the fact that “in any given year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the U.S. And More than half that number are people of color that the country seems to forget about.”
The series centers on public relations specialist Gabi Mosely (Hampton) — who was once herself one of those forgotten ones — and her crisis management team now make sure there is always someone looking out for the forgotten missing people. But unbeknownst to anyone, this everyday hero is hiding a chilling secret of her own.”
The series comes from Carroll’s Rock My Soul Productions, Berlanti Productions, and Warner Bros. TV, where Greg Berlanti and Carroll are under overall deals.
“Getting to put Found on the air and share it with everyone is such an incredible dream come true,” Carroll said. “The situation with missing people in this country is truly an epidemic in and of itself. I was inspired to create Found to not only entertain, but to help be part of the solution. I am so thankful to my producing partner Lindsay Dunn and my partners at WBTV, NBC, Universal and Berlanti Productions for all of their help and support. And I’m especially grateful to be reunited with Susan Rovner and Liza Katz, both of whom have been champions of my stories since early in my career.”
READ: Maahra Hill Joins Jesse L. Martin as Co-Lead in The NBC Drama Pilot The Irrational
Hampton will also serve as producer. Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and David Madden executive produce for Berlanti Productions, along with Carroll and Lindsay Dunn for Carroll’s Rock My Soul. Berlanti Productions and Rock My Soul Productions produce in association with Warner Bros. TV.
The pickup, which Deadline wrote about in yesterday’s Pilot Buzz, gives Carroll three series on broadcast TV next season: All American, on which she is an exec producer/showrunner; spinoff All American: Homecoming, which she created and serves as EP and co-showrunner on; and Found, on which she is creator, executive producer and showrunner. Found is expected to bring in a co-showrunner to work alongside Carroll as she juggle her shows.