New Anne of Green Gables to be played by Instagram celeb

TORONTO, ON—Casting decisions were announced today for CBC's new series ANNE, the reimagining of Lucy Maud Montgomery's famous book Anne of Green Gables. Some were surprised to hear the role of the lead character Anne, typically portrayed as a young white girl with red hair and pigtails, will be given to Pat Wu, a gluten-free, vaping Instagram celebrity.

"Gone are the days when Anne of Green Gables is depicted by a white, ginger orphan from PEI. This simply no longer reflects the reality of our time," says Scarlett Talbot, casting director on the rebooted series.

"Wu truly reflects the spirit of youth Lucy Maud Montgomery wanted to instil in the readers of our nation," she explains.

The producers of the re-imagined series have also moved the setting of the fictional story from Green Gables, PEI to bustling and diverse area of Commercial Drive in Vancouver, where every episode will begin with Anne live-tweeting her brunch plans.

Given the public's increasingly passionate outcry demanding edgier, more millennial-friendly programming on the CBC, the national broadcaster's forward-thinking leadership team sees this reboot as an opportunity to tackle the issue head-on.

"People are going to want to see how Anne navigates her personal brand on Snapchat," says Troy Denver, the show's executive producer.

The only further casting announcement made at this point is that Anne's love interest, Gilbert Blythe, will be played by Chez Kelley, the popular transgendered YouTube influencer.

According to the casting director, Anne's iconic pigtails have also been recast. They will be portrayed by two adorable otters holding hands. The otters achieved widespread fame on Vine earlier this year.