HBO Max has rounded up nine new regulars to join Izabella Alvarez (Euphoria, The Casagrandes) in the new comedy pilot Wild Life per a report from Deadline. Nadine Velazquez (Queens) headlines the series of additions which also features Annie Funke (The Offer), Nabeel Muscatwalla (Good Trouble), Ava Lalezardeh (The Pursuit), Brielle Barbusca (Young Sheldon), Cyrus Arnold (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), Jessi Case (Mother’s Day), Beau Minniear (Night at the Eagle Inn), and Chrystal Campbell. The single-camera teen comedy pilot was ordered at the streamer back in May.
Wild Life is set to feature a blend of comedy and heart as it follows a diverse group of high schoolers as they pursue an alternate education opportunity through working at a local animal rescue. With their own personal and social problems, they come together for a “high school at the animal rescue” to work through everything together. Working with animals certainly helps as they learn how to handle everything in their personal and social life.
Alvarez leads the series as Ciara with Velazquez now boarding the series as her single mother who struggles with handling the single-parent life. Ciara will be joined at the rescue program by Muscatwalla who plays the Ponzi scheme-running high-schooler nicknamed Ponzi, Lalezardeh who portrays the ultracompetitive Ally who always wants to succeed, Barbusca who plays the anxious and all over the place Teal, Arnold who embodies the gentle giant Hackett, Case who portrays Ciara’s childhood enemy Kaci, Campbell who appears as the self-centered diva Kelz, and Minniear as the perpetually late high school hooligan Nino. Leading the program at New Dawn Animal Sanctuary is Funke as the director Bev.
Wild Life hails from a trio of writers and executive producers in Jason Ubaldi, Chris Peterson, and Bryan Moore. The latter two have been working together for some time, pairing up as writers on That 70s Show and Lab Rats in the past while Ubaldi is known for creating the Youtube Red original Youth & Consequences and the Hulu series All Night. With their resumes combined, they bring plenty of experience with writing teen comedy to the table.
Working on the series is Imagine Kids+Family with studio founders Ron Howard and Brian Grazer executive producing along with Stephanie Sperber, and Jennilee Cummings. Tony Hernandez and Jake Fuller also executive produce through Jax Media. Running the show for the pilot is Mike Chessler and Chris Alberghini while Rachel Raimist directs. All three will also executive produce.
There is currently no release date for Wild Life.