EXCLUSIVE: Kelli Berglund (Now Apocalypse) is set as a lead opposite Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig and Alison Luff in Heels, Starz’s eight-episode hourlong drama set in the outrageous world of independent professional wrestling.

Written by Michael Waldron and directed by Peter Segal, with Mike O’Malley as showrunner, Heels is a story about the men and women who chase their dreams in the world of small town pro wrestling. Set in a close-knit Georgia community, it follows a family-owned wrestling promotion as two brothers and rivals, Jack Spade (Amell) and Ace Spade (Ludwig), war over their late father’s legacy. In the ring, somebody must play the good guy (Ludwig) and somebody must play their nemesis, the heel (Amell). But in the real world, those characters can be hard to live up to — or hard to leave behind.

Berglund will play Crystal, a 20-year-old wrestler’s valet who yearns to transform this traditional role and compete as a wrestler. A rural-town girl of limited financial means, she’s an incredible athlete who just needs an opportunity to prove she belongs in the ring, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that dream come true.

Heels is produced by Lionsgate TV in association with Paramount TV Studios. Along with Waldron, Segal and O’Malley, LBI Entertainment’s Julie Yorn, Chris Donnelly and Patrick Walmsley serve as executive producers.

2020 Starz Pilots & Series Orders

Berglund most recently was seen as Carly Carlson in Starz’s praised comedy-of-age comedy series Now Apocalypse. She played a young Gwen Verdon in FX’s limited series Fosse/Verdon, and next will be seen in the upcoming Russo brothers’ drama feature Cherry, opposite Tom Holland and Bill Skarsgård, and in the 2020 Netflix feature comedy Hubie Halloween, opposite Adam Sandler, Paris Berelc, Julie Bowen and Steve Buscemi.

Berglund is repped by UTA, Industry Entertainment and Goodman Schenkman & Brecheen.