The natural hair-sporting brown beauty, Teyonah Parris, is set to be the lead in CBS’s drama pilot, Murder.
Parris was the first major African American character on AMC’s hit drama series, Mad Men, and also starred in Netflix’s hit show, Dear White People (2014), Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse which ended last fall, and more recently reoccured on FOX’s Empire as Pamela Rose.
The investigative drama, Murder, will be shot like a true-crime documentary and explore crime from the conflicting perspectives of cops and killers, witnesses and victims, and friends and family. As Detective Ayana Lake, Parris will take the audience on an emotional journey throughout the investigation as they are invited to discern the truth and judge the innocence of the suspect for themselves.
Det. Ayana Lake is a rising star in the NYPD who has keen intellect as well as a quick analytic mind, who when partnered with (the still uncast) Det. Jack Garrity seemingly butt heads due to style and personality differences.
Dan Lin and Amanda Green will act as executive producers of the show, while Lindsey Liberatore will serve as co-executive producer. Lin Pictures will produce in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios.
According to Deadline, Parris will also be seen in a film based on James Baldwin’s novel, Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk.