WGN America to Premiere Smollett-Bell’s “Underground” in March

Jurnee Smollett-Bell is heading Underground this coming March.

WGN America will premiere its Underground Railroad thriller Underground, starring the 29-year-old Brazilian American actress, on Wednesday, March 9.

Jurnee Smollett-Bell in Underground

The network has released the first two trailers (see below) for the 10-episode series starring Smollett-Bell as Rosalee.

From creators Misha Green and Joe Pokaski and executive producer John Legend, the series follows a courageous blacksmith who covertly organizes a small group of his fellow slaves and pieces together a daring plan of escape across hundreds of miles to freedom.

The cast also includes Christopher Meloni, Alano Miller, ‎Jessica de Gouw, Marc Blucas, ‎Adina Porter, Mykelti Williamson, ‎Amirah Vann, Johnny Ray Gill, Chris Chalk, Reed Diamond, Theodus Crane, Renwick Scott and Jussie Smollett.

Anthony Hemingway directs and serves as executive producer for the first four episodes.

Underground is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios.

Smollet to Guest Star on WGN America’s Pre-Civil War Series “Underground”

Jussie Smollett  is going Underground

The 32-year-old Brazilian actor/singer and breakout Empire star will guest-star on two episodes of Underground, WGN America’s pre-Civil War straight-to-series drama about the Underground Railroad.

Jussie Smollett

The series from Sony Pictures Television and Tribune Studios follows a group of slaves who plan a daring escape from a Georgia plantation to cross 600 miles to freedom. They are aided along the way by a secret abolitionist couple running a station on the Underground Railroad, as they evade those tasked with bringing them back — dead or alive.

Smollett is Josey, a wild-eyed runaway who doesn’t trust anyone, not even those stationed along the way who would try to help him.

Smollet will appear alongside his sister, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, in the series. She’ll portray Rosalee, a timid house slave who finds strength within herself.

Underground is expected to premiere in 2016.