Two-time Academy Award nominee Viola Davis will play the lead in Shonda Rhimes‘ new ABC pilot, ”How To Get Away With Murder.”
This will be Davis’ first starring role in a television series in over a decade. Davis, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in The Help, made appeared in ”Law And Order” and Showtime’s ”The United States Of Tara” before becoming a household name.
The sexy, legal thriller centers around a mysterious criminal defense professor, Annalise DeWitt (Davis), and her students who get entangled in a murder plot. The ABC pilot will be executive produced by Rhimes and Betsy Beers with Rhimes production company, Shondaland. The series will be written by Peter Norwalk (“Grey’s Anatomy”).
“How To Get Away” is Rhimes second series starring an A-List actress. ”Scandal,” starring Kerry Washington, has been a huge hit, and is loosely based on the life and career of Judy Smith, real life government crisis fixer. ”Scandal” mid-season 3 premieres tonight at 10/9c on ABC; here’s where “Scandal” left off.