'Person of Interest' star Sarah Shahi lands the title role in the contemporary take on the classic mystery novels.
- Mar 1, 2016
AceShowbiz - CBS has solved one of its Nancy Drew puzzles. Sarah Shahi, who is still a series regular on "Person of Interest", has landed the coveted title role in the network's pilot based on the classic mystery novels created by publisher Edward Stratemeyer.
Developed under the title "Drew", the project follows Nancy (Shahi) who is now in her 30s and serving as a detective for the NYPD, where she investigates and solves crimes using her uncanny observational skills, all while navigating the complexities of life in a modern world.
Nancy grew up solving crimes with her two childhood girlfriends, Bess and George. In the CBS modern take, Nancy joined the NYPD after college where she was a prodigy, until she arrested the wrong guy, was publicly called on it and quit the force. Now she struggles to find a way back to the confident character she's best known as to audiences worldwide.
The casting of Shahi, who is of Persian and Spanish descent, is in line with the network's wish to fill the part with someone other than the typical blonde actress who usually took the role in previous adaptations of the novels. Emma Roberts played the character in 2007's movie "Nancy Drew", and Maggie Lawson starred in 2002's TV movie of the same title.
Shahi will return for an upcoming season 5 of "POI" which is yet to be scheduled. According to TVLine, her deal puts "Drew" in first position ahead of a potential sixth season of the crime drama series.
"POI" executive producer J.J. Abrams, however, said last month that a sixth season was unlikely. "My guess is [season 5] is the final season," he said at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. "The only heartbreak there is how much good story there was to come if it were to have continued."
