Taylor Schilling to star in NBC crime pilot by Dick Wolf

Taylor Schilling, known for her role on “Orange Is the New Black,” is set to star in a new NBC crime pilot from Dick Wolf Entertainment. The show, titled “What the Dead Know,” features Schilling as Ava Ledger, a death investigator known for her keen intelligence and hypervigilance. Ava prefers investigating causes of death to socializing, and she teams up with the NYPD to crack cases.

Based on former NYC medical examiner Barbara Butcher’s memoir of the same name, “What the Dead Know” will be written and executive produced by Beth Rinehart, alongside Wolf, Tom Thayer, Peter Jankowski, and Anastasia Puglisi. Fred Berner is on board as director and executive producer.

Schilling has made a name for herself playing Piper Chapman on “Orange Is the New Black” and has also appeared in shows like “Poker Face,” “Accused,” and “Dear Edward.” This announcement comes as NBC prepares eight pilots for potential consideration in the 2026-27 season, with stars like David Boreanaz, Damon Wayans Jr., Emily Deschanel, and Peter Krause also attached to lead roles in new projects.