Busy Philipps is heading to Silicon Valley. The actress known for her roles in Dawson’s Creek and Girls5Eva has joined the cast of the upcoming CBS legal drama Cupertino. She will appear as a series regular in the new show from Robert and Michelle King, the creative team behind The Good Wife and Evil .
The news comes just weeks after Philipps publicly mourned the loss of her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek, who passed away on February 11, 2026, after a battle with bowel cancer . Now, the actress is shifting focus to a new professional chapter that also brings a personal reunion with another former co-star.
Who is Busy Philipps Playing in ‘Cupertino’?
Philipps will play a character named Natalia. According to the official series description, Natalia is introduced as the “beautiful and delightfully blunt first wife of an AI Billionaire” . Her backstory is rooted in a very modern slight: her wealthy ex-husband divorced her simply because she turned 40.
Now, Natalia is looking for payback. She decides to bankroll the underdog law firm started by Mike Colter‘s character, Michael, and Rachel Keller‘s character, Olivia. By funding their startup, she hopes to take legal aim not only at her former spouse but at other AI businesses in the tech hub of Silicon Valley . Her motivation is clear: she wants revenge, and she is using the law to get it.
A ‘Girls5Eva’ Reunion on the New Set
One of the exciting details for fans of the Netflix comedy Girls5Eva is that Philipps will be reuniting with her castmate Renée Elise Goldsberry. Goldsberry was announced as part of the Cupertino cast in January .
The two are set to appear on screen together again, though this time the setting is a legal drama rather a comedy club. Goldsberry plays Renee, described as a “brilliant opposing attorney” who shares a complicated professional and romantic history with Michael .
Philipps shared her excitement about the project on social media. In a post on her Instagram account, she called it her “dream role and my dream job.” She expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity, especially noting the chance to work with the Kings, whose writing she praised as “some of the best on television.” She also specifically mentioned her happiness about reuniting with Goldsberry, calling the situation an “actual dream come true” .
What is ‘Cupertino’ About?
Cupertino is a legal drama with a clear David vs. Goliath premise. It is set in the heart of Silicon Valley, the global center for technology and artificial intelligence .
The story centers on Mike Colter‘s character, Michael, a lawyer who gets cheated out of his stock options by the tech startup he used to work for. Instead of walking away, he teams up with Olivia (Rachel Keller), another lawyer who was recently fired. Together, they start their own law firm to represent everyday people who have been taken advantage of by powerful tech elites .
The series aims to explore the massive power imbalance between wealthy tech giants and the individuals who try to stand up to them. The title itself, Cupertino, refers to the California city that is famously home to Apple Inc. and other major tech companies, grounding the show in a real-world location synonymous with the tech industry .
The Growing Cast and Creative Team
Philipps is joining a cast that is quickly filling out with talented actors. Alongside Mike Colter (known for Evil and Luke Cage), Rachel Keller (Fargo, Legion), and Renée Elise Goldsberry (Girls5Eva, Hamilton), the show will also feature Ella Stiller and Nik Dodani .
- Ella Stiller will play Christy, described as a young assistant working at the new startup law firm .
- Nik Dodani (Atypical) will portray Vik, a coder who comes to Michael and Olivia for help after his own tech employer turns against him .
Behind the camera, the series is in highly capable hands. Robert and Michelle King created the show and will write and executive produce under their King Size Productions banner. Robert King is also set to direct the premiere episode . Liz Glotzer joins them as an executive producer.
When Will the Show Air?
Cupertino has been picked up by CBS for the 2026-2027 television season. While an exact premiere date has not yet been announced, the series is currently in active development and is expected to debut later this year or in early 2027 .
The network ordered the series after receiving positive material from the writers’ room, which produced multiple scripts. It joins another drama, Einstein starring Matthew Gray Gubler, on CBS’s slate for the upcoming season .
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Balancing Grief and a New Opportunity
The casting announcement comes during a personally difficult time for Philipps. She was very close with her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek, who passed away earlier this month at the age of 48 .
Philipps paid a touching tribute to him on Instagram following his death, calling him “one in a billion” and saying she was “profoundly heartbroken for his incredible wife Kimberly and their six magical children” . She had also been active in supporting his family, urging her followers to donate to a GoFundMe page set up to help with medical bills and expenses after his long illness .
In her recent social media post about landing the role on Cupertino, Philipps alluded to the emotional whiplash of recent weeks, mentioning that the “last two weeks of my life have been a real mixed bag in ways i can not properly articulate” . She expressed deep gratitude for the joy that this new job has brought her during a difficult period.
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