Freeform Adds Cast Members to Comedy Besties; Mindy Kaling and Alyssa Milano to Appear on VH1 Trailblazer Honors on March 8

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Freeform Adds Cast Members to Comedy Besties; Mindy Kaling and Alyssa Milano to Appear on VH1 Trailblazer Honors on March 8

Besties - Gigi Zumbado, Jessika Van and Davi Santos

Freeform has announced that newcomer Gigi Zumbado, Jessika Van (Seoul Searching) and Davi Santos (Tell Me a Story, 47 Meters Down: Uncaged) have joined the previously announced cast of Jordin Sparks, Matt Shively and Brooks Brantly in the highly anticipated new comedy series Besties (working title).

Zumbado will play Jesi; a free-spirited 23-year-old Cuban American, raised by two adoring gay dads, who is more than thrilled to find out she has a half-sister. Van will portray Luna; Becca's (Jordin Sparks) roommate and a brilliant med student who is number one in her class, but has no intention of being a doctor. Santos will portray Simon; the assistant to a high-powered agent, who is constantly at odds with Jesi.

Set in Los Angeles, the series will follow Becca (Jordin Sparks) and her newly discovered half-sister Jesi (Gigi Zumbado) as they're thrown into each other's lives by an online genetics test and have to figure out how to go from strangers to sisters. Ranada Shepard, Casey Johnson and David Windsor serve as creators and executive producers. Kenya Barris also serves as executive producer. Besties is produced by ABC Signature Studios. Stay with us for further updates.

VH1 Trailblazer Honors

Cher, Anita Hill, Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project, The Office), Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?, Romantically Challenged), Samira Wiley (The Handmaid's Tale, Orange Is the New Black) and Elle King have been added to the blockbuster lineup of incredible women set to appear on VH1 Trailblazer Honors. King will perform Baby Outlaw from her latest studio album, Shake the Spirit. Cher will be presenting to previously announced honoree Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The other honorees include Academy Award nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay, The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood, #MeToo founder Tarana Burke. Rita Ora will also perform. The one-hour VH1 Trailblazer Honors special event will air on International Women’s Day, Friday, March 8th at 9PM ET/PT, on VH1 and Logo.

Kicking off Women’s History Month, VH1 Trailblazer Honors will celebrate today’s most respected politicians, entertainers, artists, activists, allies and icons who have dedicated their time and steadfast commitments to the women’s movement and beyond. Centered around this year’s incredible breakthroughs in female empowerment and human rights, the annual event will feature the landmark achievements of its honorees. Additional talent to be announced.

The special event will take place at the Wilshire Ebell Theater in Los Angeles, a National Historic Landmark and extension of the Ebell of Los Angeles, a 125-year-old organization founded by women for women.