Station 19 Jaina Lee Ortiz teams up with her ex Grey’s Anatomy co-star Scott Speedman once again for an upcoming ABC show called RJ Decker. Speedman will star in the series and Ortiz will be a series regular.
RJ Decker is a crime drama inspired by Double whammya novel written by Carl Hiaasen in 1987. The series will follow its main character (Speedman), a former photojournalist and ex-convict who reinvents himself as a private investigator after serving his sentence. The story takes place in South Florida, where he takes on some of the strangest cases. Decker teams up with his former girlfriend, still a journalist, his wife (who is a police detective), and a mysterious woman from his past who could either help him succeed or send him straight to prison.
Ortiz will play Emi Ochoa, the daughter of a deceptive state senator who is closely tied to Decker’s past. Emi is described as very lively and volatile. The character was originally going to be called Shay Bennett, and Weruche Opia was initially cast in the role. However, it was announced in September 2025 that they were looking for a new actor.
The series is created by Rob Doherty (Elementary). The author of the source material, Hiaaseen, will executive produce, along with Carl Beverly (Fleishman is in trouble) and Sarah Timberman (lonely planet). Aside from Ortiz and Speedman, RJ Decker will also star Kevin Rankin (Aloysius “Wish” Aiken), Bevin Bru (Melody “Mel” Romero and Adelaide Clemens (Catherine Delacroix).
Ortiz and Speedman starred in two episodes of Grey’s Anatomy together. The two crossed paths in a crossover between the medical drama and its spinoff series Station 19. Ortiz starred as a firefighter named Andy Herrera in the latter, while Speedman played transplant surgeon Dr. Nick Marsh on the flagship show.
ABC RJ Decker will premiere midseason.
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Weruche Opia
Shay Bennett
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