The “Southern Bastards” pilot at Hulu is rounding out its cast with five new additions.
Variety has learned that Jonathan Tucker (“Kingdom,” “Palm Trees and Power Lines”), Amin Joseph (“Snowfall,” “One of Them Days”), Ethan Suplee (“American History X,” “My Name Is Earl”) and Derek Luke (“Antwone Fisher,” “Friday Night Lights”) have all been cast in the pilot, with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard,” “Justified: City Primeval”) set to guest star.
The new additions will star alongside previously announced cast members Kevin Bacon as well as Erin Kellyman and Tim McGraw. Full character descriptions can be found below.
“Southern Bastards” is based on the graphic novels of the same name. It was picked up to pilot at Hulu in October 2025. The official logline states that the show “follows a tenacious military vet (Kellyman) into Craw County, Alabama, in search of her estranged father (Bacon). What she finds is a murderous hornet’s nest of organized crime run by the winningest high school football coach in the South (McGraw).”
Tucker is repped by Paradigm, Management 360, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller. Joseph is repped by Entertainment 360, Gersh and Fox Rothschild. Suplee is repped by Paradigm, Nicole Garcia Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller. Luke is repped by Gersh, LINK Entertainment and HillTop Entertainment. Ellis-Taylor is repped by CAA and TMT Entertainment Group.
Bill Dubuque and Nia DaCosta share a co-story credit for “Southern Bastards,” with Dubuque writing the teleplay and executive producing. Matt Olmstead will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Reinaldo Marcus Green will direct and executive produce the pilot. Jason Aaron and Jason Latour, who created the graphic novels, will executive produce. Layne Eskridge of POV Entertainment also executive produces along with Ryan Coogler, Sev Ohanian, and Zinzi Coogler of Proximity Media and Green. Simone Harris of Proximity and Kate Berry of POV co-executive produce. Proximity Media’s creative executives Hannah Baker and D’Angelo Louis will also oversee the project. The series is produced in association with Fifth Season.
Character Descriptions:
Jonathan Tucker (“Esaw”) – Esaw Goings is muscled and linebacker lean. Vexed by undiagnosed CTE from his playing days. An Assistant Coach for Craw County High School’s football team, he’s also Coach Boss’s go-to enforcer— the “chief leg breaker” who does the dirty work that keeps Boss’s local empire afloat. Status-hungry and hot-headed, he’s ultimately an obedient foot soldier with absolute loyalty to Boss
Amin Joseph (“Hardy”) – Hardy Whitworth is a former star football player whose blown knee kept him from fulfilling NFL dreams. He’s now the Sheriff of Craw County — though he mostly acts as a puppet playing the role that Coach Boss needs him to play. He’s capable of decency and has a professional and friendly demeanor — but he’s been morally corrupted by his willingness to cover up the violent crimes that occur under his watch. Hopes to one day recapture some version of his glory days
Ethan Suplee (“Mater”) – Eugene “Materhead” Maples is a former offensive lineman. More of a sidekick than a mastermind, he is loyal to his fellow assistant football coach Esaw Goings, and also helps Esaw as an enforcer for Boss’s organized crime ring. He shows hints of a conscience, but for now he’s a true team player in this criminal enterprise
Derek Luke (“Uncle Lou”) – Uncle Lou is sharp, charismatic, and singularly focused on monetizing his nephew and star football player Demetrius’ talent. A former tour manager with hustler instincts, he views football as both opportunity and business. Protective and pragmatic, he intends to control the money so his nephew can focus on the game, unfazed by Coach Boss’ stature.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“Vernetta”) – Roberta’s assertive but worried mother. Indignant that the military would treat her daughter this way, she urges her to reach out to her father for help in her situation, unfazed by Roberta’s attempts to deflect. She succeeded in putting as much distance as she could between herself and Craw County, until her daughter’s journey of vengeance draws her back to her hometown.
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