Can you imagine being a young performer and being cast alongside the star of your favorite TV show? It'd be a dream come true, right? Well that's exactly what has just happened to Diana Silvers, the Ma and Booksmart actress who will join Steve Carell in Netflix's upcoming comedy series Space Force.
You might remember Silvers as Collider's Up-and-Comer of the Month from this past May, when she burst onto the scene with a pair of fun films that put her on the radar of casting directors across Hollywood. When she came into Collider HQ for her interview, she dared me to quiz her on any episode of the hit NBC series, which she has seen so many times that she can quote anything from any episode. I imagine she's on Cloud Nine right now, and I'm happy for her, as she really did stand out in those aforementioned films.
Not only will Silvers be working with Carell, but they'll be joined by John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz and Tawny Newsome as series regulars, while Jimmy O. Yang and Alex Sparrow will be recurring guest stars.
Space Force is described as a workplace comedy centered around the people back on Earth tasked with creating a sixth branch of the armed services. Carell will star as Mark R. Naird, a General tapped by the White House to lead a new branch of the Armed Forces, while Silvers will play his daughter, Erin Naird. She's a popular A-student in Washington DC, but after transferring to a remote military base in Wild Horse, Colorado, she becomes a delinquent outcast.
Elsewhere, Malkovich will play the brilliant but arrogant head science advisor Dr. Adrian Mallory, who is trying to prevent space from becoming the next great international battlefield. Schwartz, who starred on The Office spinoff Parks & Recreation, will play F. Tony Scarapiducci, a self-centered media consultant whose Machiavellian goals often conflict with those of Space Force. Newsome will co-star as an ambitious helicopter pilot named Angela Ali, who has secret dreams that she keeps close to the vest.
Yang will appear as Doctor Mallory’s right-hand man, Doctor Chan Kaifang, a brilliant astrophysicist and rocket engineer who immigrated from China as a teenager and loves all things American. Sparrow will appear as Yuri “Bobby” Telatovich, a charming observer from the Russian Government who asks a lot of questions... some more innocent than others.
In other news, Paddington director Paul King has been tapped two episodes of Space Force, including the pilot. Netflix ordered the show straight-to-series earlier this year, committing to 10 episodes shortly after Donald Trump directed the Penatgon to create a so-called space force. Carell co-created the series with Greg Daniels, who serves as showrunner, and the two of them will executive produce along with Howard Klein of 3 Arts Entertainment.
Malkovich, who is repped by WME. next stars in the HBO series The New Pope. Schwartz will next voice the title character in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. He's repped by WME and Haven Entertainment. Newsome recently signed on to voice one of the lead characters in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks on CBS All Access. She's repped by CAA and Artists First. Yang stars on Silicon Valley and helped save Boston in Patriots Day. The Crazy Rich Asians actor is repped by WME and Artists First. Sparrow, who recently appeared on UnREAL, is repped by Abrams Artists Agency.
Silvers will soon be seen as Colin Farrell's daughter in the action movie Eve starring Jessica Chastain -- her second film with director Tate Taylor. She is represented by WME, Anonymous Content, and Jackoway Tyerman.
