It’s a big first for Andy Garcia…

The 62-year-old  Cuban actor and director will star opposite Kenan Thompson in NBC’s single-camera comedy pilot The Kenan Show (fka Saving Kenan), from Universal Television. 

This marks Garcia’s first television series regular role.

Written by Jackie Clarke and directed by Chris Rock, The Kenan Show centers on a newly widowed dad (Thompson) determined to be everything for his kids while begrudgingly letting his persistent father-in-law, Percy (Garcia), a retired police officer, become more involved in their lives.

Thompson, Clarke and Rock executive produce with Lorne Michaelsand Andrew Singerfor Broadway Video.

This is a rare televisoin acting gig for Garcia whose biggest series commitment to date had been an arc on HBO’s Ballers. He received two Emmynominations for the HBO film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story. 

In features, Garcia appeared in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Book Club, The Mule and Bentlast year. 

This spring, he’ll begin production on Brian Petsos’ film Big Gold Brick and will star in Words on Bathroom Walls directed by Thor Freudenthal. 

He also will be seen in Amazon’s anthology series Modern Romance.