ABC has found a new generation’s Kevin Arnold.
Elisha “EJ” Williams has been cast in ABC’s “The Wonder Years” reboot pilot, the network said Monday.
Williams, son of basketball legend Harold “Lefty” Williams, will be playing a character named Dean, described as being “an inquisitive and hopeful 12-year-old” who is “coming of age in a turbulent time” and “trying to figure out his place within his Black family and the world at large.”
The pilot, a term used in the entertainment industry to describe the first episode of a potential series, is set in 1968 and takes place in Montgomery, Alabama.
“Though a little insecure, a tad awkward and a bit self-conscious, he is determined to make his mark on the world around him,” a character description shared by the network said.
“The Wonder Years,” which aired for six seasons from 1988-1993, starred Fred Savage as middle class pre-teen Kevin Arnold. The show was told from adult Kevin’s perspective via voiceover, provided by Daniel Stern. Like the reboot, it was set in late ’60s. Though, at the time of its airing, that time period was a mere 20 years in the rear view mirror.
In a video distributed by ABC, Savage, who is an executive producer and director on the pilot, and executive producer Saladin K. Patterson welcomed Williams to the project.
“It’s kinda like the passing of the torch, right, you know? From one generation of ‘Wonder Years’ to another one,” Patterson tells Williams in the video.
Williams hails from Dunn, North Carolina. His other credits include Nickelodeon’s “Henry Danger and Danger Force” and Disney Jr.’s “Puppy Dog Pals.”
“The Wonder Years” is the latest family-friendly title from the past looking to make its return with a fresh spin.
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