Anna Akana Among 5 Cast In Demi Lovato’s NBC Comedy Pilot ‘Hungry’

Denise Petski
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Anna Akana (Jupiter’s Legacy), Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), Ashley D. Kelley (Insatiable), Jay Klaitz (FBI) and Rory O’Malley (The Book of Mormon) are set as series regulars in NBC single-camera comedy pilot Hungry, starring and executive produced by Demi Lovato. The project comes from Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills, SB Projects and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Written and executive produced by Suzanne Martin, Hungry follows a group of friends who belong to a food-issues group helping one another as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.

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Akana will play Wednesday, who looks exactly like what she is – a trophy wife. Sustaining that takes a lot of self-control, but she’s so in control that it’s actually out of control, and it’s driving her and her husband crazy.

Brightman’s Cooper is so sweet, wry and self-deprecating that people are surprised when he tells them he’s a cop. He works for the LAPD’s Jumper Squad and spends his days talking people off ledges and bridges, often by offering pizza. He joined the group to lose weight for his wedding, but that gets complicated when he meets Teddy (Lovato) and is instantly smitten.

Kelley portrays Nicole, a divorce lawyer who is not fazed by anything — except a weight clause in a prenup, which gets her mad. She’s body positive but knows she’d feel better and live longer if she had some better habits.

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Klaitz is Danny, a big guy with big appetites. Between food, drugs, alcohol and strip clubs, he lives in the moment and doesn’t worry about the future. Danny works in the family funeral home he grew up in, but it’s not sad or weird to him. It just reminds him that life is short – live it to the fullest.

O’Malley plays Linus, who is witty, smart and speaks in a way that suggests a lot of time watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. Tired of getting his heart broken, he’s determined to lose weight and be the heartbreaker.

Hayes, Milliner & Scooter Braun, Scott Manson and James Shin exec produce. Hungry is produced by Hazy Mills and SB Projects in association with Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

Akana appeared on Netflix’s Jupiter’s Legacy and previously recurred on A Million Little Things, among other credits. She’s repped by The Coronel Group, CAA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Brightman is a two-time Tony nominated actor who recently starred in the Broadway musical Beetlejuice. His breakout role was as “Dewey Finn” in the Broadway musical School of Rock. On television he recently appeared in Law & Order: SVU, Blue Bloods, and Documentary Now! He’s repped by Stewart Talent, UTA, Brookside Artist Management and Schreck Rose Dapello.

Kelley recurred on Insatiable and guested on Luke Cage. She’ll next be seen in the upcoming Netflix film Home Team. She’s repped by A3 Artists Agency and Sinclair Management.

Klaitz recently recurred on FBI and Instinct. He’s repped by Randi Ross of Phoenix Artists Inc.

O’Malley appeared in the Broadway musical Hamilton but is best known for his starring role in the original Broadway company of The Book of Mormon. His TV credits include American Princess, Central Park, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Good Wife, among others. He is represented by Gersh, the Rosenzweig Group and attorney Michael Mahan.

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