Donald Glover’s pilot for FX, Atlanta, has officially found its leads, the network announced Thursday. The rapper and comedian best known for playing Troy on Community will not only write the show but also star alongside Brian Tyree Henry (The Knick, Boardwalk Empire), Lakeith Lee Stanfield (Short Term 12, Dope) and Zazie Beetz (Applesauce).
Glover, who received a Writer’s Guild Award as a writer for 30 Rock, will play Earnest “Earn” Marks. Earn snags the opportunity to manage the career of his rapper cousin, Alfred Miles (Brian Tyree Henry). The two come into conflict over music, money and race. Stanfield will play Darius, Alfred’s collaborator, and Beetz will play the mother of Earn’s child.
Hiro Murai, who has directed several of Glover’s music videos (the actor raps under the name Childish Gambino) and worked as a cinematographer on shows such as Drunk History, will direct the pilot. The show begins production this month.
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com