The Black Lightning pilot, which is currently slated for The CW, has cast Jefferson Pierce’s daughters.
Nafessa Williams and China Anne McClain have been cast as Anissa Pierce and Jennifer Pierce respectively, Deadline reports. They will be series regulars opposite Cress Williams, who stars as Jefferson.
According to the casting call, Anissa is Jefferson’s older daughter. She is described as “beautiful, quick-witted and intelligent” as well as “intense and passionate.” In her early 20s, Anissa “has a great respect for her father.” She has a busy life in which she “balances the demands of medical school with her duties as a part time teacher at Jefferson’s school,” where her father serves as principal.
Jennifer, meanwhile, is a teenager. She is “a scholar athlete” and is “beautiful with a lean, athletic runner’s build. She is described as “the entitled feminist of the Pierce family.” Moreover, she is “independent and outspoken with a wild streak.”
In the DC Comics, Anissa and Jennifer become heroes, like their father, named Thunder and Lightning respectively.
The synopsis for Black Lightning reads:
Jefferson Pierce has made his choice. He hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hell-bent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend: Black Lightning. The show is based on the DC character created by Tony Isabella with Trevor Von Eeden.
Williams’ credits include Code Black, The Bold and the Beautiful and One Life to Live. McClain’s credits, meanwhile, include House of Payne, A.N.T. Farm and Descendants: Wicked World.
The Black Lightning pilot is still casting Lynn, Jefferson’s ex-wife.
The pilot is currently set to shoot in Atlanta in this month. The other Berlanti-verse shows currently shoot in Vancouver. As of yet, there’s no news as to whether the show will be a part of the Arrowverse or if it will stand alone.