EXCLUSIVE: Former East Los High star Gabriel Chavarria has been tapped as the lead and Jessica Garza (Six) has been cast as the female lead in the upcoming The Purge series for USA Network and Syfy.

The project comes from franchise creator James DeMonaco, Blumhouse Television, the TV divisions of the movies’ producer Blumhouse Prods. and Universal Cable Productions. The franchise — about one day each year when murder and mayhem is legalized — hatched its highest grossing effort so far with the most recent The Purge: Election Year in 2016. DeMonaco oversees the series which will be an entirely new chapter in America’s 12 hours of annual lawlessness and is slated to launch in concjunction with the next installiment in the movie franchise, The First Purge.

Chavarria will play Miguel, a US Marine with a hard edge and a noble mission. After receiving a cryptic letter from his little sister, Penelope (Garzia), he returns to town on Purge Night – prepared to face the senseless violence in the streets alone in order to protect what he loves most – his family.

Garzia’s Penelope belongs to a Purge-worshipping cult. Having pledged herself to be sacrificed at the behest of their charismatic leader, Penelope’s faith is tested when she is exposed to the ghastly realities of the Purge.

The films’ Platinum Dunes and DeMonaco’s longtime producing partner Sebastien K. Lemercier will executive produce.

Chavarria is best known for his lead role in the Emmy nominated series East Los High. He has also appeared in the feature films War For the Planet of the Apes, Lowriders, and Freedom Writers. TV credits include Aquarius and Southland. He’s repped by Paradigm, Momentum Talent & Literary Agency and Hansen Jacobson.

Garza is best known for her role as Anabel Ortiz on History Channel’s praised Six series. Her previous TV credits include Modern Family, Pure Genius, NCIS and Sweet/Vicious. She’s repped by Principato-Young Entertainment, Concept Talent Group, and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer.