Actress Supriya Ganesh will star in the forthcoming reboot of the 2004 film "13 Going on 30," Netflix announced Wednesday. Ganesh, 28, joins a cast that includes Emily Bader, Logan Lerman, Jessica Alba, Taylor Ortega, and Tim Meadows in the romantic comedy.
This new role follows Ganesh's exit from the HBO medical series "The Pitt," where her character, Dr. Samira Mohan, was written off after the show's second season. Sources described the departure as a "story-driven decision," noting that the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center, the fictional setting of the series, functions as a teaching hospital with a natural turnover of residents.
Ganesh expressed her excitement on Instagram, sharing a link to the confirmation of her role and stating she was "flirty and thriving!!" The reboot's executive producer is Jennifer Garner, who starred in the original film.
Speaking with outlets after news of her exit from "The Pitt" broke, Ganesh shared that she was initially overwhelmed by fan reactions. "I tried to take a step away, because it's just been so surreal," she said, recalling seeing her name trending on Twitter. She added that she found encouragement in the positive messages from fans who connected with her character.
"I've been getting such sweet, lovely messages from people," Ganesh told reporters. "And I've honestly just been surprised at how much people love the character and saw so much of themselves in her, and that's what I'm going to miss."
Last month, Ganesh discussed her departure from "The Pitt" with the Los Angeles Times, stating that the show's executive producers, Noah Wyle, R. Scott Gemmill, and John Wells, made a "creative decision" to conclude her character's storyline after the second season. "They work with such intention on the show and make all the choices that they make for that reason," Ganesh commented. She expressed gratitude for her time working with co-stars Sepideh Moafi and Isa Briones, among others.
Noah Wyle addressed the cast turnover at PaleyFest in April, explaining the nature of medical dramas. "Emergency rooms have a high revolving door," he said. "As always, we try to bring in new characters or promote from within as we go through these cast changes and try to keep the story lines fresh."
Wyle described Ganesh's character, Dr. Mohan, as "beloved" and acknowledged her significant contribution to the show since its inception. "I love playing with her and working with Supriya, and we wish her all the best in her next endeavors, and we’re going to miss her," he added.
The original "13 Going on 30," released in 2004, earned $96 million against a $37 million budget.
