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Exclusive: Gabriela Ortega (Huella), Bo Mitchell (Cobra Kai), Alice Kremelberg (The Sinner), Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Oliver Yellin have joined the ensemble cast of the international thriller 52nd State.

Deadline first told you about the indie project, which is being directed by Netflix’s former longtime VP product Todd S. Yellin and is executive produced by Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in his first credit as a producer.

Production is currently underway across Colombia and Costa Rica, with Bogota-based production company Jaguar Bite overseeing physical production.

The new cast additions join previously announced leads Moisés Arias, Teresa Ruiz, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio (Primo) and Ken Jeong.

Inspired by real events, 52nd State centers on Felipe, a disillusioned Costa Rican It worker who stumbles into a high-stakes scam operation that preys on vulnerable Americans.

As the scheme spirals out of control,...

An actor who is most well-known for his comedy chops in movies like The Hangoverfranchise, Crazy Rich Asians, and the television series Community has been cast in a different type of role in a new film. The project will also bring together two Netflix alums.

Ken Jeong, who recently appeared in Animal Control with his Community co-star Joel McHale, has been cast in what is being called a key role in a new indie crime-thriller. Per Deadline, Jeong will star in 52nd State, which is currently in production in Bogotá, Colombia.

He will portray a U.S. Postal Inspector named Jay Hailey who is described as a “quirky agent thrust into the center of a sprawling investigation that uncovers a tech-driven scam preying on elderly Americans.. As Hailey follows the trail across borders and through layers of deception, he’s forced to confront both his personal demons and the bureaucratic...

Exclusive: Ken Jeong, best known for comedy turns in hit film and TV projects including The Hangover, Crazy Rich Asians, Community and as a panelist on The Masked Singer, is stepping into the crime-thriller genre with a key role in movie 52nd State, which is filming in Bogotá, Colombia.

We first told you about the indie project, which is being directed by Netflix’s former longtime VP product Todd S. Yellin and is exec-produced by Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in his first credit as a producer.

Jeong will play U.S. Postal Inspector Jay Hailey, a quirky agent thrust into the center of a sprawling investigation that uncovers a tech-driven scam preying on elderly Americans. As Hailey follows the trail across borders and through layers of deception, he’s forced to confront both his personal demons and the bureaucratic system he’s sworn to uphold.

Inspired by true events, cast...

Reed Hastings, co-founder, chairman and former CEO of Netflix, has signed on as an executive producer of Costa Rica-set crime thriller “52nd State” — his first official credit as a producer on a film or TV show.

However, “52nd State” is not a Netflix production. The indie film is co-written and directed by Todd Yellin, a former longtime Netflix exec who served as VP of product before he exited in 2022 to pursue a career as a filmmaker.

According to the production’s reps, Hastings’ decision to join the project was “deeply personal” and driven by his attraction to the film’s “bold, high-stakes storytelling” and his long relationship with Yellin. Hastings, after 25 years at the helm of Netflix, in January 2023 stepped down as CEO of the company and now serves as chairman.

“At Netflix, Todd poured his creative energy into shaping the product experience and pioneering our personalization efforts — work that helped storytellers connect with millions,...

Reed Hastings, co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, has signed on as an executive producer of the upcoming crime-thriller 52nd State, which is currently in production in Bogota, Colombia.

This marks Hastings’ first ever credit as a producer on a film or TV series. In 2023, after 25 years at the helm, Hastings stepped down as co-ceo of Netflix and now serves as Chairman. 52nd State marks one of his first independent film ventures outside of his role at the streamer.

As we first told you, the film is co-written and directed by longtime Netflix executive Todd S. Yellin and produced by Fernando Ferro and The Witch producer Jay Van Hoy. It’s an independent feature and not a Netflix production.

Moisés Arias (Fallout) and Teresa Ruiz (Narcos: Mexico) lead the ensemble that also includes Ignacio Diaz-Silverio (Primo), and Augusto Aguilera (The Predator).

Set against the backdrop of Costa Rica and inspired by true events,...