Priyanka Chopra to Star Opposite Kerry Washington on ABC’s Scandal?

Maybe.

Talent holding deals are nothing to get too worked up over, but hey, if ever there was a time for speculation it’s now. From The Hollywood Reporter:

Under the one-year pact, ABC will either develop a starring vehicle for Chopra or cast the actress (with 8 million Twitter followers and another 15.4 million fans on Facebook) in an existing project set for fall 2015.

At this point, you  might be saying, “Rohin, stop trying to peddle hack-hatched clickbaity theories that are, at best, fanfiction.” I would say, “Fine,” except soon after this announcement, Scandal star Kerry Washington was quick to (rightfully) throw praise upon Chopra for the latter’s latest Elle column:

So when if Chopra is drafted to star opposite Washington on Scandal, what kind of role might we see her in? A few theories to get the speculation going:

• A campaign manager who tries to persuade Mellie to run for office (governor, á la Alicia Florrick on The Good Wife, perhaps?)
• A sharp, sassy temp that Liv recruits as the latest gladiator
• A political fixer whose competing firm seeks to take business away from Liv
• An undercover operative working on behalf of Cy to do whatever evil deeds he needs done
• The super-secret queen of B613 who we find out, in the penultimate episode of this season, is the reason why Rowan Pope is still alive
• Remember Stephen — one of Olivia’s closest friends from season 1 who never returned afterwards? He comes back for a guest arc with his wife in tow — our girl PC — and she’s got some schemes of her own.

Leave your own wild theories in the comments if you’re so moved, but let’s all agree: PC is a perfect fit for Scandal — or any Shondaland drama, really.

Want to pick a fight with The Aerogram editor Rohin Guha about his casting choices? He’s on Twitter here.