Annaleigh Ashford Boards Hulu’s Chippendales Drama

Hulu’s limited series Immigrant, about the founder of Chippendales, is adding to its cast.

Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive, Impeachment: American Crime Story) has joined the eight-episode drama. She’ll star opposite Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett in the series, which comes from Disney’s 20th Television and creator Robert Siegel (Pam & Tommy).

Immigrant will tell the story of Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Nanjiani), the Indian-American entrepreneur who started Chippendales. The series will detail the darkly comedic and crime-ridden story behind the male striptease revue.

Ashford will play Irene Banerjee, an accountant and Steve’s wife; the couple fell in love over a shared passion for tax loopholes and revenue expansion. Shy and unassuming at first, she steadily finds her footing within the company, growing into a formidable behind-the-scenes powerhouse.

Bartlett (The White Lotus) is playing Nick De Noia, Steve’s business partner and the man responsible for transforming Chippendales from a seedy West L.A. strip club to the worldwide phenomenon it became.

Tony Award winner Ashford currently stars in CBS comedy B Positive and played Paula Jones in Impeachment. Her TV credits also include Showtime’s Masters of Sex and Netflix’s Unbelievable. She’s repped by ICM Partners, Beth Rosner Management, ID and Schreck Rose.

Siegel executive produces Immigrant with Nanjiani, Dylan Sellers, Jenni Konner, Ramin Bahrani, Emily V. Gordon, Nora Silver and Rajiv Joseph, who will write on the series along with Mehar Sethi. Siegel and Konner serve as co-showrunners, and Bahrani will direct. Jacqui Rivera is co-EP and Annie Wyman is co-producer.