

〉 Spotlight helmer Tom McCarthy directs the first two episodes of the series.

Supernatural’s Mark Pellegrino has joined the cast of the Netflix series 13 REASONS WHY. The drama, based on the novel by Jay Asher, was created by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey. Pellegrino joins a cast lead by fellow Lost-alum Dylan Minnette and newcomer Katherine Langford. They are joined by Brandon Flynn, Christian Navarro, Alisha Boe, Justin Prentice, Devin Druid, Miles Heizer, and Ross Butler.

Minnette stars as Clay Jensen, who returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker (Langford) – his classmate and crush – who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

13 Reasons Why was initially set to be a movie, but ended up turning into a Netflix series. The streaming service gave Anonymous Content and Paramount TV a straight-to-series order with Gomez set to executive produce along with Tom McCarthy, who was tapped to direct the first two episodes. Yorkey signed on as co-showrunner with American Crime‘s Diana Son. The series, currently in production, is expected to premiere later this year.

Pellegrino, best known for his roles as Jacob in the ABC series Lost and Lucifer in The CW’s Supernatural, recently starred on the buzzy freshman drama Quantico and Carlton Cuse’s The Returned. On the big screen, Pellegrino has appeared in The Big Lebowski and National Treasure and is currently in production with High Wire Act opposite Jon Hamm and Rosamund Pike.

Pellegrino is repped by Domain Talent and Framework Entertainment.

Josh Lyons | Managing Editor