Chuck Lorre’s upcoming comedy pilot “United States of Al” has found its lead in “Rules of Engagement” actor Adhir Kalyan, TheWrap has learned.
CBS gave the show a pilot commitment in October. The show follows the friendship between Riley, a Marine combat veteran struggling to readjust to civilian life in Ohio, and Awalmir (Al), the Afghan interpreter who served with his unit and has just arrived to start a new life in America.
Kalyan, a South African actor, is known for playing Timmy Patel in “Rules of Engagement” for five seasons. He has recently appeared in Netflix’s “Arrested Development” as Raja, and Amazon’s “I Love Dick” as Geoff. His other previous television credits include the role of Otto Goodwin in Fox’s “Second Chance,” Dr. Raj Paresh on “Nip Tuck” and as Raja in The CW’s “Aliens in America,” in which he played an exchange student living with a teenage boy and his family in America.
His upcoming film credits include “A Nice Girl Like You” opposite Lucy Hale, and in “Chemical Hearts” opposite Lili Reinhart. His past features include “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.”
David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari serve as writers for the Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. comedy. Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi will executive produce along with Lorre.
Deadline was first to report the news.