Jay Hernandez has been tapped to play Thomas Magnum, the lead in CBS’ drama pilot Magnum P.I.

CBS had been looking to add a twist to the classic character played by Tom Selleck in the original series, which had been conceived as diverse in the reboot, with the network setting out to find a non-white actor for the role.

CBS

The Magnum P.I. pilot, from Peter Lenkov, Davis Entertainment, CBS TV Studios and Universal TV Studios, was co-written by Lenkov and Eric Guggenheim, with Justin Lin set to direct.

The reboot follows Thomas Magnum (Hernandez), a decorated ex-Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. With help from fellow vets Theodore “TC” Calvin and Orville “Rick” Wright, as well as that of disavowed former MI:6 agent Juliet Higgins, Magnum takes on the cases no one else will, helping those who have no one else to turn to.

Lenkov and Guggenheim executive produce with John Davis and John Fox of Davis Entertainment as well as Lin and Danielle Woodrow via Lin’s Perfect Storm Entertainment.

Landing Hernandez is a get for CBS as casting the role was challenging because the series is slated to film in Hawaii. Hernandez recently co-starred in the hit features Suicide Squad, Bad Moms and sequel A Bad Moms Christmas, along with Netflix’s Bright. He also recurred on the ABC series Scandal.

Hernandez is repped by ICM Partners, Alchemy Entertainment and Fuller Law.