Tony nominee Taylor Louderman, currently taking center stage on Broadway in the musical adaptation of Mean Girls, has landed a lead role in the CBS pilot The Emperor of Malibu. The comedy, Deadline reports, hails from Kevin Kwan (author of the Crazy Rich Asians series) and David Sangalli.
In the comedy, Louderman will play Kate, a California lawyer engaged to Auggie (Max Willems), the son of a Chinese billionaire (Ken Jeong). Despite her confidence in their relationship, Kate finds herself in an uphill battle to win over Auggie’s extreme family. The cast also includes Deborah S. Craig (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as Shiatzy, Auggie's strong-willed (if eccentric) mother.
Andy Ackerman will direct the pilot, with Michelle Nader and Christina Lee attached as showrunners.
Prior to earning a Tony nod for her portrayal of queen bee Regina George in Mean Girls, Louderman appeared on Broadway in Kinky Boots and Bring It On. Her additional credits include Peter Pan Live! and a current guest stint on another CBS title: the All Access series The Good Fight.