ABC Family Preps Switched at Birth Pilot

BURBANK: Lea Thompson, Constance Marie and Katie Leclerc have been cast in the new ABC Family pilot Switched at Birth, currently in pre-production for the network.

The one-hour scripted drama tells the story of two tween girls who discover that they were accidentally switched at birth. One grows up in a wealthy family with two brothers, the other lost her hearing as a child due to a case of meningitis and grew up with a single mother in a poor neighborhood. Thompson (Back to the Future, Caroline in the City) will plahy Kristen Kennish, the wealthy mother of Bay (yet to be cast). Marie (George Lopez) takes on the role Regina Vasquez, the single mother of Daphne, played by Leclerc. For the casting of Daphne, ABC Family put out a wide search for deaf and/or heard of hearing actors. Leclerc is fluent in American Sign Language.

“We’re thrilled to have such acclaimed actresses as Lea Thompson and Constance Marie join the cast in two of our leading roles,” said Elizabeth Boykewich, the VP of casting for ABC Family. “For the critical role of Daphne, we set out to meet actors with all ranges of hearing loss to play the part. When we auditioned Katie, we knew she was perfect for the role. Not only is she a talented actress, but like her character, Katie is comfortable in both the hearing and deaf worlds.”

“We’re delighted to see ABC Family cast an actor from the deaf and hard of hearing community for the role of Daphne,” added Dr. Patricia Hughes, the CEO of Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness. “By casting Katie Leclerc, the network seized upon an opportunity to make a significant impact with not just viewers, but the Hollywood community at large, by reflecting the diverse world we all live in.”