The upcoming Netflix comedy series “Space Force” has added six new cast members, Variety has learned.
John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Tawny Newsome, and Diana Silvers will all appear in series regular roles, while Jimmy O. Yang and Alex Sparrow have landed recurring guest star roles. They join previously announced cast member Steve Carell, who is also the show’s co-creator and executive producer. In addition, Paul King has been tapped to direct two episodes of the series, including the pilot.
The show, which was ordered straight to series in January, is described as a workplace comedy centered around the people back on Earth tasked with creating a sixth branch of the armed services. The announcement came shortly after President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to create the so-called space force. In December, he signed an order for the Pentagon to create the Space Command, seen as the first step in establishing a space force that would fall under the purview of the U.S. Air Force.
Netflix has given the show a 10-episode order, with plans to premiere it in 2020. Greg Daniels co-created the series along with Carell and serves as showrunner, with Howard Klein of 3 Arts also executive producing.
Carell will star as Mark R. Naird, a General tapped by the White House to lead a new branch of the Armed Forces with the goal of putting American “Boots on the Moon” by 2024
Malkovich will play Dr. Adrian Mallory, the head science advisor. He is described as brilliant, arrogant and hoping to prevent space from becoming the next great international battlefield. This marks the latest in just a handful of regular TV roles Malkovich has taken on throughout his storied career. He is next set to appear in the HBO-Sky series “The New Pope,” while he also recently appeared in multiple episodes of the Showtime drama “Billions.” He previously starred as Hercule Poirot in the miniseries “The ABC Murders” and played the pirated Blackbeard in the NBC series “Crossbones.”
He is repped by WME.
Schwartz will play F. Tony Scarapiducci, a self-centered media consultant whose Machiavellian goals only sometimes line up with those of Mark or Space Force. Schwartz is best known for his role as Jean Ralphio on the popular sitcom “Parks and Recreation.” He will next voice the title character in the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie and is the lead in the upcoming Disney Plus film “Flora and Ulysses.” He also currently lends his voice to the rebooted “DuckTales” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated shows.
He is repped by WME, Haven Entertainment, and Gang Tyre.
Silvers will play Erin Naird. Described as popular and an A-student in Washington DC, Mark’s daughter is an outcast in Wild Horse Colorado after transferring to a remote military base and turns to delinquency. Silvers recently appeared in the films “Booksmart,” “Glass,” and “Ma.”
She is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Jackoway Tyerman.
Newsome will appear as Angela Ali, a helicopter pilot. Described as ambitious and competitive, Ali has secret dreams that she keeps close to the vest. Newsome recently signed on to voice one of the lead characters in the CBS All Access animated series “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” Her other TV credits include “Bajillion Dollar Propertie$,” “Brockmire,” and “The Comedy Get Down.”
She is repped by CAA, Artists First, and Hansen Jacobsen.
Yang will appear as Doctor Chan Kaifang, Doctor Mallory’s right hand man. Chan is a brilliant astrophysicist and rocket engineer who immigrated from China as a teenager and loves all things American, from fly fishing to the Baltimore Orioles.
In addition to his stand up comedy, Yang has appeared in shows such as “Silicon Valley,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Drunk History,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” He also starred in films like “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Patriots Day.”
He is repped by WME, Artists First, and Schreck Rose.
Sparrow will play Yuri “Bobby” Telatovich, a charming observer from the Russian Government. Yuri is curious about many things in Mark’s life, like his daughter, or the tech specs of the Javelin missile. Sparrow recently appeared in the critically-acclaimed series “UnREAL” in addition to many other film and TV projects in his native Russia.
He is repped by Abrams Artists Agency.