Jaina Lee Ortiz Joins Scott Speedman's ABC Drama 'RJ Decker' as Series Regular in Recasting
EXCLUSIVE: Jaina Lee Ortiz, known for her role in 'Station 19', is returning to ABC as a series regular on the network's upcoming hourlong drama 'RJ Decker'. The show, created by Rob Doherty and based on the 1987 novel 'Double Whammy' by Carl Hiaasen, stars Scott Speedman as the lead. The project is set to premiere in the midseason.
'RJ Decker' follows the story of RJ Decker (Speedman), a disgraced newspaper photographer and ex-con who starts over as a private investigator in the vibrant yet crime-ridden world of South Florida. He navigates cases that range from peculiar to bizarre, aided by his ex-girlfriend, a police detective, and a mysterious new ally, a woman from his past who could be his greatest ally or a one-way ticket back to prison.
Jaina Lee Ortiz will portray Emi Ochoa, the clever yet unpredictable daughter of a powerful and corrupt state senator with ties to RJ's (Speedman) past. The role, originally named Shay Bennett, was played by Weruche Opia in the pilot, and it was announced in late September that it would be recast.
The series regular cast also includes Kevin Rankin as Aloysius 'Wish' Aiken, Adelaide Clemens as Catherine Delacroix, and Bevin Bru as Melody 'Mel' Romero. The show's executive producers are Doherty, Carl Hiaasen, Carl Beverly, and Sarah Timberman, with Paul McGuigan directing and executive producing. Speedman is also a producer.
Both Speedman and Ortiz are part of the Grey's Anatomy universe, with Speedman recurring on the main series and Ortiz starring in the spinoff 'Station 19'. They have appeared together in two episodes of 'Grey's Anatomy' that were part of 'Station 19' crossovers. Ortiz's breakthrough role was in the Fox drama 'Rosewood' alongside Morris Chestnut. She has also appeared in the Sony action feature 'Archangel' and the indie film 'The Long Game', which premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival and won the Narrative Spotlight Audience Award. Ortiz is represented by Link Entertainment.
