Culture 4 min read By Morgan Griffin
Amy Poehler's 'Dig' Adds Five Cast Members as Miranda Cosgrove Enrolls at 'Abbott Elementary'
Michael Schur's upcoming Peacock comedy 'Dig' has added Jason Mantzoukas, Max Greenfield, Noma Dumezweni, Brennan Lee Mulligan and Dan Bucatinsky, while 'Abbott Elementary' has booked Miranda Cosgrove, Edi Patterson and Ali Wong for guest arcs in its milestone sixth season.
Michael Schur is assembling a familiar ensemble for his next comedy. The upcoming Peacock series «Dig,» which stars Amy Poehler, has added five actors to its cast, with Jason Mantzoukas, Brennan Lee Mulligan and Noma Dumezweni set for recurring roles and Max Greenfield and Dan Bucatinsky booked as guest stars.
The series is based on Kate Myers' novel «Excavations» and follows a team of dedicated archaeologists. Poehler leads the cast, and the reunion with Mantzoukas and Greenfield marks a return to the Schur orbit for performers who have appeared in his previous shows. Mantzoukas is a longtime collaborator of Schur's, having appeared in «The Good Place» and «Brooklyn Nine-Nine,» while Greenfield is best known for «New Girl» and more recently for «The Neighborhood.»
Details about the characters the new additions will play remain under wraps. The series is produced for Peacock, the NBCUniversal streaming service that has become a home for several of Schur's recent projects. No premiere date has been announced.
Meanwhile, «Abbott Elementary» is preparing for another season of high-profile guest appearances. Miranda Cosgrove, Edi Patterson and Ali Wong will all appear in upcoming episodes of the hit ABC sitcom's sixth season, with details about their roles also being kept under wraps.
The casting news arrives as «Abbott Elementary» approaches a significant milestone. The show will hit its 100th episode around the fall finale, a marker that underscores its status as one of the most-watched comedies on broadcast television. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, the series has built a reputation for integrating guest stars into its school setting without disrupting its core ensemble.
Cosgrove is best known for her roles in «iCarly» and «Drake & Josh,» and has more recently appeared in films including «Despicable Me 4.» Patterson is a familiar face from «The Righteous Gemstones,» while Wong has become one of the most prominent stand-up comedians and actors of the past decade, with credits including «Always Be My Maybe» and «Beef.»
The two casting announcements reflect a broader pattern in television comedy, where established creators and hit sitcoms continue to draw from a shared pool of performers. Schur, who created «Parks and Recreation,» «The Good Place» and «Brooklyn Nine-Nine,» has long favored actors he has worked with before, and «Dig» appears to follow that template.
For «Abbott Elementary,» the guest-star strategy has been part of its formula since its first season, when the show began welcoming comedians and actors into its fictional Philadelphia school. The series has previously featured appearances from the likes of Taraji P. Henson, Bradley Cooper and Kevin Hart, among others.
In a separate development involving the «Abbott Elementary» cast, William Stanford Davis, who plays the janitor Mr. Johnson, is publishing a memoir. The book, titled «Don't Mess With the Fat Kid,» will be released through BenBella Books and will cover Davis' life and career, including his struggles with addiction and rejection, as well as the experience of landing his role on the sitcom.
Neither Peacock nor ABC has announced specific premiere dates for the new seasons. The «Dig» cast additions and the «Abbott Elementary» guest arcs are both expected to roll out during the upcoming television cycle.
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