Netflix’s newest family drama, Lost Ollie, has been busy assembling a star-studded cast. Lost Ollie is a live-action/animated take on author and illustrator William Joyce's book Ollie Odyssey. Jane the Virgin’s Gina Rodriguez, New Girl’s Jake Johnson, and 50 States of Fright’s Kelser Tabot will star in the live-action portion of the limited family drama series from Stranger Things executive producer Shawn Levy. Mary J. Blige, Jonathan Groff, and Tim Blake will lead the voice cast or the series's animated portion.
Lost Ollie was picked for a series in October. Over the span of four episodes, the series will tell the story of a lost toy on an epic adventure, who searches across the country for the boy who lost him, and the story of the boy who lost more than a best friend.
Jonathan Groff will voice Ollie, the handmade toy rabbit who has been best friends with Billy until one day he ends up in a re-sale shop with no way home. Ollie sets off on a path to find Billy. Kelser Talbot will play Billy; Gina Rodriguez will play Billy's mother, Sharon, who inspires her son's creativity. Jake Johnson plays James, an overworked and stressed-out father.
Rounding out the voice cast are Mary J. Blige, who will voice Rosy, a teddy bear who becomes Ollie's ally on his quest to find Billy, and Tim Blake Nelson, the voice of Zozo, a clown doll with an old soul who agrees to help Ollie on his journey.
The series, which has been in the works for more than four years, is created by Corline’s Shannon Tindle, who also penned the script. Tindle will also executive produce alongside Shawn Levy and Josh Barry via their Netflix-based 21 Laps Entertainment banner, Flight School Studios' Brandon Oldenburg, Lampton Enochs, and Peter Ramsey. with the latter on board to direct all episodes. The animation will be done via Industrial Light + Magic, creating CGI characters for the series. Production is currently underway in Vancouver.
