LOS ANGELES - s4story -- FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION: Olivia Holt's New Series Cruel 'Summer' Debuts to Rave Reviews

LOS ANGELES, Calif., May 4, 2021 - Last month, iPOP Alumni Olivia Holt's highly anticipated new show debuted on Freeform. The series Cruel Summer, which is executive produced by Jessica Biel, has received rave reviews since premiering. Heralded by Entertainment Weekly as "addictive and fresh," the show marks a shift for the iPOP alum, following the cancelation of her other Freeform show, 'Clock and Dagger.' Olivia herself has also received acclaim for her role from EW alongside her co-star Chiara Aurelia, with the publication narrowing in on the remarkable ability of both young actresses being able to "embody their slippery characters with unwavering assurance through every phase of the narrative."

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Cruel Summer, described as an unconventional thriller, takes place over three summers –1993-95 in a small Texas town. Mystery ensues when Kate (Holt) becomes abducted, and a girl, Jeanette (Chiara Aurelia), goes from being the awkward outlier to the most popular girl in town to the most despised in America. The episodes are each from the POV of one of the two main girls. This is intended so that the viewers' loyalties constantly shift as more information is revealed.

The series is written by Bert V. Royal, who also wrote Easy A. Additional cast members of the series include Michael Landes (The Liberator), Froy Gutierrez (Teen Wolf), and Harley Quinn Smith (Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood), to name a few.

This is Olivia's first project of the year following her Cloak and Dagger reprisal for Disney XD's animated series Spider-man: Maximum Venom and the 2019 Freeform original Holiday film 'Turkey Drop.' Olivia found immense success in the industry after attending iPOP LA, the twice-annual Los Angeles-based event.

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Cruel Summer airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform.

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About iPOP!

iPop promotes emerging talent to leading agents, managers, casting directors, and music industry professionals. Approaching its 16th year, iPOP! is held in Los Angeles every winter and summer. Performers attend from over 30 different countries. At the event, they work with industry experts and participate in competitions in front of the many agents and managers who are looking for the stars of tomorrow.

For media inquiries regarding iPOP! LA, please contact:

iPOP! Media Relations
310.463.7560
http://www.ipopla.com