Archie Panjabi Joins ‘Under the Bridge’; Vritika Gupta, Javon Walton & Aiyana Goodfellow Also Cast In Hulu Series

Nellie Andreeva
·4 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Emmy winner Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) is set as a lead, along with Vritika Gupta (American Halloween), Javon “Wanna” Walton (Euphoria) and Aiyana Goodfellow (Small Axe) in Under The Bridge, Hulu’s limited series based on Rebecca Godfrey’s book. They join previously announced series star Riley Keough as well as fellow series regulars Izzy G, Chloe Guidry and Ezra Faroque Khan in the series from ABC Signature.

Under the Bridge is based on Godfrey’s book about the 1997 true story of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk (Gupta) who went to join friends at a party and never returned home. Godfrey (Riley) takes us into the hidden world of the seven teenage girls and a boy accused of the savage murder, revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer.

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Panjabi will play Suman Virk, Reena’s mother, a devout Jehovah’s Witness and a woman who is desperately trying to bring her daughter to heel after a tumultuous year of rebellion. Suman’s arc in the series will explore the Virks’ lives both before and after Reena’s death, and Suman’s near-impossible act of heroism breaks a cycle of trauma for the future — and ultimately inspires radical empathy against all odds.

Gupta’s Reena Virk is a self-conscious, uneasy yet bold loner searching for a group of friends she can call her own. The series will explore Reena’s life before her murder, as she seeks to escape her strict Jehovah’s Witness household for the far more exciting world of the Seven Oaks Youth Home — where there are no parents, few rules, and she can live with her friends. These “‘friends,” however, are the CMC — the gang girls from the other side of town. Reena is determined to prove that she’s “hardcore,” but in her quest to fit in, she makes a choice that has disastrous consequences.

Walton plays Warren. Unlike his namesake, LA gangsta’ rapper Warren G, Warren is a soft-spoken and baby-faced kid who is considered a “role model” by his peers and teachers. Still, he runs with the “Crips”, and harbors a deep-buried anger over his parents abandoning him. Warren seems like a lost puppy who desperately needs love, but his overt gentleness might be masking something darker.

Goodfellow portrays Dusty, a member of the CMC (Crip Mafia Cartel, a “gang” Josephine started) and has a genuine and close friendship with Reena before her death. Dusty is often the third wheel to Josephine and Kelly’s friendship, having to constantly earn her place with them. Dusty acts tough and says she’s loyal to her crew, but when things go too far, she’s haunted by the guilt of what she’s done, and ultimately questions whether she must be the one to step up and do the right thing — even if it means turning on her friends.

The limited series is executive produced by Samir Mehta and Liz Tigelaar, who will also serve as showrunners. Keough will executive produce Under the Bridge with Gina Gammell via their production company, Felix Culpa. Quinn Shephard is adapting the book and executive producing. Godfrey, who died last month at 54, was an executive producer on the series and will be getting the credit posthumously. Other EPs are Stacey Silverman and Geeta Vasant Patel, who will also direct.

Panjabi won a supporting actress Emmy for her portrayal of Kalinda Sharma on The Good Wife which also earned her two additional Emmy nominations. She is coming off filming the Apple TV+ limited series Kingdom opposite Idris Elba. She was recently seen in a season-long arc on the TNT series Snowpiercer and in Season 2 of Departure, which streams on Peacock. Panjabi is repped by Gersh.

Vritika’s recent credits include the shorts American Halloween, Lies, Catch and We are Powerful. She is repped by Julia ‘JT’ Thornton, The Library Agency.

Walton made his acting debut in HBO’s Euphoria as drug dealer Ashtray. He most recently can be seen in Season 3 of Netflix’s Umbrella Academy in the role of Stanley. On the film side, he recently starred opposite Sylvester Stallone in MGM’s Samaritan. Walton is repped by Wanna Fight Promotions, Dulcedo and Paradigm.

Goodfellow’s credits include Marvel’s Plasma, BBC’s Small Axe, Apple’s Invasion and Hulu’s The Great. They also were a regular in Prime Video’s The Outlaws alongside Christopher Walken. Goodfellow is repped by Max Latimer at Jonathan Arun Group.

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