Report: ABC's Maggie comedy pilot was originally written with a Latinx lead, but instead cast white actress Rebecca Rittenhouse

Entertainment Weekly

EW reports that a number of Latinx actresses were stunned by the news earlier Thursday of the casting of Rittenhouse, an alum of The Mindy Project and Four Weddings and a Funeral. "The titular character was once scripted as Maggie Moreno, as shown in a copy of the pilot script provided to actresses auditioning for the part and obtained by EW," reports EW's Rosy Cordero, who posted an image of the script. "Multiple Latinx actresses spoke to EW on the condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution about their experience auditioning for the Maggie role and expressed disappointment that it ultimately ended up going to a white actress." One actress tells EW of her frustration with the casting: "It's so challenging for Latinx actors to find work in Hollywood as it is, but it's a real slap in the face when a project centers on us then changes their mind as if we didn't matter." Cordero reports that the Latinx actresses will now in consideration as Maggie's Latinx best friend. Sources with knowledge of the Maggie pilot development, however, tell Cordero that the production cast a wide net for all ethnicities for the lead role and all the roles in the project, and that was communicated in casting materials.