Cupertino Star Rachel Keller Fights For Underdogs In Robert & Michelle King's New Legal Thriller

Published Oct 8, 2026, 4:28 PM EDT As a graduate of Columbia University in New York City, Tatiana studied theater and comparative literature. She has been passionate about all manner of storytelling from Jane Austen adaptations to anime. Aside from writing for Screen Rant, she co-hosts podcasts: The Flash Podcast and Ladies With Gumption. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Those who miss Robert and Michelle King'ƒs emotional and impactful legal dramas can rejoice, for today marks the start of Cupertino, a new series from The Good Wife creators that is set to tackle important topics in the space where the law and big tech intersect. Cupertino follows Michael Price (played by Mike Colter, who starred in the Kings' recently finished drama Evil), a lawyer who gets shown the door by the Silicon Valley tech start-up he helped build up. To get justice, he teams up with fellow ex-employee, Olivia Siffre (Legion's Rachel Keller). Together, they start their own law firm to help protect others who are exploited by corporate giants. ScreenRant interviewed Keller a few weeks before the premiere of Cupertino, discussing the ins and outs of Olivia Siffre's backstory, faith, and dynamic with Michael. Keller also shared her personal affinity for The Good Wife and excitement to be working with the Kings, while also teasing some ripped-from-the-headlines topics that would be dealt with throughout season 1. Getting To Know Cupertino’s Olivia Siffre ScreenRant: When you first read the pilot script, or when the premise was explained to you, what was most exciting to you? What were you most ready to dig into about the story? Rachel Keller: I think what's still really exciting to me is that it's the Kings, and it's a law show! I loved The Good Wife, and I loved Julianna Margulies' performance in that. I've never played a lawyer on TV before, so I was really excited. And the fact that they were taking on big tech like this? I was like, "Sign me up!" ScreenRant: I was going to ask about your knowledge of the Kings' work, because they are indeed the Kings of legal dramas. What surprised you most about working with them? Rachel Keller: I think I've been delighted in every way that I could have imagined. They have such prolific careers, the two of them together. I think you can surmise that they're lovely to work with, which they are, but I've still been pleasantly surprised. They're confident, they're kind, and they're really sure of themselves. They know what they're doing. ScreenRant: What was your personal way into Olivia? Did you have discussions about her life before the show started? What aspect did you connect with most easily from the start? Rachel Keller: When I found out that I got the part, I was in my sister's house in Oregon. Her wife's name is Olivia, and she was also the first person who walked into the room. It felt really kismet that Olivia had walked into the room, and I just got the part of someone named Olivia! [Laughs] That's probably not what you were asking me, but it felt like a sign that it was a good thing for me. I think her naivety has been so much fun to play with because it means that there are no real rules. She doesn't really know anything, and there's so much space to grow. I think that's maybe the biggest thing the Kings were trying to direct me toward in the beginning. ScreenRant: One thing I love about her characterization is that we see that she’s very religious and spiritual, but not in any stereotypical way. How did you want to approach that side of her, and how do you think it affects her approach to law? Rachel Keller: I was curious to see how they wanted her religious beliefs to layer into this tech world. Now that we're filming episode 15 [at the time of this interview], I'm understanding a bit more why it's so important to the whole story for her to have this bigger belief. I think her faith threads itself directly into the story of how we're treating AI and AGI. I didn't grow up religious at all, but I've always been really interested and curious, so I was approaching it with that same curiosity. Like you said, I knew that they didn't want her to be a stereotype. We didn't even talk about it, but you could see in the script that they wanted her faith to be grounded and true — not an accessory, but a true part of her values and how she lives her life. The World Of Cupertino Expands With Each Episode ScreenRant: You mentioned taking on big tech, and the pilot hits the ground running with the topic of AI and how it can exploit us. Do you feel any pressure when it comes to how these all-too-relevant storylines may be received, or is that part of the fun for you? Rachel Keller: I think we're excited. I think the Kings are putting their finger on the pulse of exactly what is happening. It's quite odd. We'll go in and read the next script, and it'll be something that was in the news yesterday. They're just really on it, which won't end up being the case when it airs because it's months later. But while we're filming it, we're like, "How are you guys a crystal ball? What's happening here?" I'm very excited. I think more and more people are becoming aware that it is more comfortable to have blinders on in regards to AI. It feels more comfortable for all of us to put our heads down and go with the flow, and I'm not judging anyone for that. I find myself in that camp too. But I think that when you give it a name — when you think about what happens to a young black boy when a security system misidentifies something in his hand — I think then you're going into the truth of what's happening to families and couples. Then you're going, "I don't want to ignore it, and I don't really know why I have been." I'm hoping Cupertino brings this to people's doorsteps in a way that's invigorating and enlightening. ScreenRant: I really love the dynamic between Michael and Olivia. They have such a great working relationship from the start. Why do you think they gel so well together, and how will we see that partnership evolve this season? Rachel Keller: I think it's wonderful that this really well-respected and experienced Black male lawyer in Silicon Valley looks at this recent grad and goes, "I can use her, and we can use each other in this way." It's hard to ignore that most of these spaces are occupied by white men, so when you have this underdog team and a real friendship with mutual respect, it's what we all wish for in our colleagues. We can help each other, and I think that's what's exciting about it. He's so kind to her, and they're as equal as they can be; it's just that he is more experienced than she is. But I really love playing those scenes with him because it just feels like a real friendship in the works. ScreenRant: The whole team is really fun, especially as the early episodes add on new members who come into the story and help the universe expand. Do you have a dynamic that you're most excited to see evolve, outside of Olivia and Michael? Rachel Keller: I really love working with Ella [Stiller] and Busy [Philipps]. I think there have been some scenes with Christy that have so much banter and fun comedy, which is another skill of the Kings. You're taking big swings, but at the same time, it's all done with a light hand. I'm really stoked to see how these scenes with the four of us play out. I know I have fun doing it, so I hope it's translating. ScreenRant: I was so shocked by the end of the pilot episode, because so much happened that I felt like I'd seen a whole movie. Olivia and Michael overcame some pretty big obstacles in that first episode, but can we expect the characters and situations from the pilot to come back around this season? Or are we mostly dealing with a case per episode? Rachel Keller: Yeah, it does continue. It does, but also with a lot of other stuff. I mean, they're one company among other giant companies. Another skill of the Kings is weaving these stories throughout so that you don't get tired of them. A few episodes in, you go, "Oh, yeah, that guy's coming back. That's interesting." Because it's a world that they're creating. So, yeah, you'll see those people again. ScreenRant: Now, what do you do to immerse yourself in Cupertino despite not filming there, and thus bring Silicon Valley to life? Rachel Keller: Don't tell anyone! [laughs] We wear pastel colors, and we try to get the sunshine. The creatives on this team are just really, really smart. They know how to build sets that have the life of Cupertino. I think it's one of those things where you just trust and rely on all of the creative collaborations, like the costume designer and the scenic designer. You just are relying on everybody else to help tell the story. ScreenRant: Do you have any long-term goals for the character or the scope of the series that you hope to see it evolve to? Rachel Keller: That is a great question. My instinct is no, but it's not out of a lack of interest or curiosity. It's more about trust and a real enjoyment of seeing what they need and how they want it to continue. The longest I've done a show is three seasons, and the industry is so funky right now. I feel like it's hard. It puts a little too much pressure on myself and on the production to even think past what we're committing to at the present moment. But I hope that we continue, and I hope it's as exciting as it has been. Cupertino premieres October 8 at 10pm ET/PT on CBS, with new episodes airing every Thursday. Release Date October 8, 2026 Network CBS Showrunner Michelle King, Robert King Cast Mike Colter Michael Price Rachel Keller Olivia Siffre Renée Elise Goldsberry Nichole E. Ferebee Ella Stiller Christy Palladino Cupertino is a 2026 drama that centers on a determined lawyer challenging a dominant tech conglomerate. Set in Silicon Valley, the show follows the intense legal battle and the attorney's pursuit of justice for the underdog, as she confronts the complexities of power and innovation.