Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons cast in thriller series Embassy

Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons will star in Embassy, a six-part geopolitical action thriller currently in development. Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick portrays the role of Layla in the thriller series Embassy. Layla is an ingenious American diplomat stationed at the U.S. Embassy in London when the building is attacked by heavily armed mercenaries.


Anna Kendrick

Amidst the chaos, Layla is tasked by the American ambassador — played by J.K. Simmons — to free an important prisoner from the embassy. To survive and complete the mission, she must collaborate with her ex-lover, a British SAS soldier. As the attack escalates, Layla uncovers a larger conspiracy that reaches far beyond the embassy walls.

Embassy is created and written by Rom Lotan, with John Strickland (Bodyguard, Line of Duty) as the director. Both also serve as executive producers, along with Hester Ruoff, Bart Ruspoli, and Matt Mitchell for Ascendant Fox, Daniel Hetzer, Jakob Neuhauser, Justin Thomson, and David Tanner for Turbine Studios, and Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Miguel A. Palos Jr. for AGC Television.

Filming will commence in February 2026 in London and Cologne.


J.K. Simmons

In addition to Embassy, Kendrick has several other projects in the pipeline. She will soon star opposite Seth Rogen in Babies, directed by Lauren Miller Rogen, with production starting in November in Los Angeles. She will also appear alongside Adam Driver and Daniel Kaluuya in Chris Rock's new drama (formerly titled Misty Green) for A24.

J.K. Simmons is best known for his role as prisoner Vernon Schillinger in HBO's prison drama Oz and Will Pope in TNT's The Closer. He has also appeared in the science fiction series Counterpart (Starz), Goliath (Prime Video), and Night Sky (Prime Video).