Freeform’s upcoming thriller series Last Summer has had two major changes, the show will now be called Cruel Summer, and one of the lead characters has been recast with the role going to Olivia Holt.
What’s happening:
- Deadline is reporting that Freeform has recast one of the leads in their forthcoming thriller, Cruel Summer.
- Olivia Holt has been cast as Kate who was played by Mika Abdalla in the pilot.
- Additionally, the “unconventional thriller” has been renamed since its series pick-up in January.
- During this year’s Television Critics Association tour, Freeform announced they were committing to a season for Last Summer—a show that follows two teenage girls and the dramatic changes that take place in their lives over the course of three summers.
- Holt returns to Freeform following her starring role in Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger (opposite Aubrey Joseph), and the Thanksgiving-themed original film Turkey Drop.
About Cruel Summer:
- “Cruel Summer takes place over three summers — 1993-95 — in a small Texas town when a beautiful popular teen, Kate (Holt), is abducted and, seemingly unrelated, a girl, Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia), goes from being a sweet, awkward outlier to the most popular girl in town and, by ’95, the most despised person in America.”
- Each episode is told from the POV of one of the two main girls, which will have the viewers’ loyalties constantly shifting as more information is revealed.
Creative team:
- The series hails from Bert V. Royal, Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple of Iron Ocean Productions, and eOne.
- The pilot for Cruel Summer was written/executive produced by:
- Bert V. Royal
- Directed/executive produced by:
- Max Winkler
- The series is executive produced by:
- Royal
- Biel
- Purple
The series stars:
- Chiara Aurelia (Tell Me Your Secrets)
- Michael Landes (The Liberator)
- Froy Gutierrez (Teen Wolf)
- Harley Quinn Smith (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood)
- Allius Barnes (Unbelievable)
- Blake Lee (Fam)
- Nathaniel Ashton (Mr. Mercedes)
- Brooklyn Sudano (Taken)