STARZ ANNOUNCES INITIAL CASTING FOR NEW UNTITLED BLACK RODEO DRAMA

DeWanda Wise, Tian Richards and Marcus Mitchell Join in Series Regular Roles

Santa Monica, Calif. - Aug 6, 2026 - STARZ has announced the first three series regulars joining the cast of its untitled family drama set inside the thriving world of Black rodeo in Texas. DeWanda Wise ("Three Women," Killing Faith), Tian Richards ("Tom Swift," "Ballard") and Marcus Mitchell ("Doctor Odyssey," "Chicago Fire") have boarded the project, which is expected to begin production in Atlanta later this month. The one-hour, eight-episode drama marks STARZ's second wholly owned series as it continues to bolster its fully owned programming pipeline as a standalone company.

Wise will play Anaya Clarke-Reagan, the Clarke family's firstborn. Savvy, polished, and highly educated, Anaya is the eldest Clarke sibling and the mayor of Trinity City. A consummate chameleon, she has built a conservative public image alongside her husband, Gregg, a powerful judge -- an image that conceals far darker desires. Anaya works tirelessly for her city, but self-preservation and family come first, even when that means protecting them from their own father. She'll do whatever it takes to secure her public image and political aspirations.

Richards will play Rodney Clarke, the fire-starter. Sebastian and Anaya's smart-ass, openly gay younger brother. Charming, impulsive, and incapable of leaving a wound alone, Rodney is the sibling most likely to turn a spark into an inferno. He has little interest in the family rodeo, preferring to run Big Rod's Likka Lounge, where it appears he's finally put his troubled past behind him. He hasn't. When his business is violently robbed and one of his own is killed, Rodney embarks on a reckless quest for revenge that threatens to engulf the entire Clarke family.

Mitchell will play Julius Calhoun, the hometown hero. Disciplined. Proud. Sebastian's closest friend. Jojo's protective older brother. Tall. Sexy. He's also deeply spiritual. Bible verse etched into his riding jacket. Nonconfrontational but not afraid to stand up for himself. Julius is Trinity City's main draw and most decorated bull rider since Sebastian. For him, being a cowboy is a way of life. Bull riding is a way to a better life. And he's looking to take his career beyond Trinity City. Julius' ambitions put his body and friendship with Sebastian to the test. Still, Julius will go great lengths to stay on top.

Infused with hip hop swagger and country soul, the series unfolds in Southeast Texas, where rodeo isn't just what you do - it's who you are. At the center are three siblings bound by the legacy their mother built and the unfinished business their father left behind. Driven by their own ambitions and drawn into each other's orbit, alliances shift, relationships tangle, and nothing stays private for long.

Kirk A. Moore ("Demascus," "American Crime") is showrunner and executive producer. Mark Johnson ("Breaking Bad," "Interview with the Vampire") and Myki Bajaj ("Demascus") of Gran Via Productions, and Tony Hernandez, Elise Henderson and Lilly Burns of Counterpart Studios ("Dexter: Resurrection," "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed," and "Free Bert") also serve as executive producers. Giovanna Desselle, VP of Original Programming, and Christina Jokanovich, SVP of Original Programming, are the executives overseeing the series for STARZ.

The series greenlight accelerates STARZ's slate expansion of premium originals, high-value acquisitions, and hit franchises, creating efficiencies to enable the network to deliver even more programming to serve women and underrepresented audiences. It joins the high-octane crime drama "Fightland" as STARZ's second self-owned series. Alongside hit series "P-Valley," it also expands the network's slate of premium dramas rooted in Black Southern culture.

About STARZ

STARZ (NASDAQ: STRZ) is the leading premium entertainment destination for women and underrepresented audiences, and home to some of the most popular franchises and series on television. STARZ offers a robust programming mix for discerning adult audiences, including boundary-breaking originals and an expansive lineup of blockbuster movies, and is embodied by its brand positioning "We're All Adults Here." Complementary to any platform or service, STARZ is available across a wide range of digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors and is a bundling partner of choice. STARZ is powered by an industry-leading advanced technology, data analytics and digital infrastructure and the highly rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app.