‘Drop-Off’: Michaela Conlin Joins ABC Comedy Pilot Based On British Series ‘Motherland’

EXCLUSIVE: Dexter Darden (Chang Can Dunk), Chloe Bridges (Maggie) and Robert Buckley (One Tree Hill) have joined the cast of Amber Ruffin and Kenny Smith NBC comedy pilot, Non-Evil Twin.

Britney Spears‘ husband Sam Asghari landed his next acting role, and it’s a big one!

EXCLUSIVE:  Zoë Kravitz (The Batman) has signed on to star in Biter, a new dark comedy based on the short story by Cat Person‘s Kristen Roupenian. Kravitz will also produce via her company This Is Important, with Paperclip Ltd and Winterlight Pictures co-producing.

EXCLUSIVE: Thad Luckinbill has been tapped for a heavily recurring role opposite Zoe Saldaña in Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ original series Lioness, headlined and executive produced by Saldaña and also starring Nicole Kidman, who executive produces, and Laysla De Oliveira. The series hails from Sheridan, MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios.

EXCLUSIVE: Tony winner David Alan Grier is set as a lead opposite Wendy McLendon-Covey in NBC comedy pilot St. Denis Medical.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson have signed on to star in the untitled CBS comedy pilot starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., Variety has learned. In addition, Andy Ackerman has signed on to direct the pilot. The multi-cam pilot was first announced at CBS in February. Per the official logline, “Legendary talk radio host and happily divorced ‘Poppa’ (Wayans) has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.” Atkins character is named Dr. Ivy Reed. She is further described as “intelligent, savvy, and bold” and hosts the radio show “Ask Dr. Reed,” where she gives “helpful advice to listeners with a modern approach on life” before she is brought in as Poppa’s new co-host.

Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson are joining Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr in the latter pair’s CBS family comedy.

Michael Stuhlbarg is set to join Matt Damon and Casey Affleck in The Instigators for Apple Original Films. Hong Chau and Paul Walter Hauser are also on board with Doug Liman on board to direct.

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy winner Michael Chiklis is set to star alongside Danny Pino in Hotel Cocaine, MGM+’s upcoming crime thriller from creator Chris Brancato.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Ronny Chieng’s Hulu comedy pilot is not being picked up to series at the streaming service, Variety has learned. The untitled pilot saw Chieng star as an analyst who is unexpectedly given the chance to be the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets when the entire front office staff quits. It was inspired by real-life Nets owner Joe Tsai. Variety exclusively reported the pilot was in the works in May 2022. Little was announced about the pilot beyond the initial report, but sources say Chieng co-wrote the pilot with Jon Pollack. Both also served as executive producers along with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, and Hannah Pham. Greg Mottola directed the pilot. 20th Television was the studio, with Mar and Kasdan under an overall deal at 20th TV via The Detective Agency. According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, 20th TV and the producers plan to shop the project to other outlets.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Terry Crews has been tapped as the lead and also will executive produce JumpStart, CBS’ multi-camera comedy pilot based on Robb Armstrong’s long-running comic strip. Wayne Conley (The Best Man) penned the TV adaptation for the project from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment, Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV and CBS Studios. Phill Lewis will direct and executive produce the pilot, replacing Kelly Park due to changes in the production schedule; Park is directing NBC’s comedy pilot Non-Evil Twin instead.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Terry Crews will star in the CBS comedy pilot based on the “JumpStart” comic strip, Variety has learned. The multi-cam pilot was originally ordered at CBS in February. The official logline states that the show “follows Joe (Crews), a cop, his wife Marcy, a nurse, and Joe’s partner Crunchy. Joe and Marcy are young, hip, urban parents with old school values who are willing to sacrifice for their kids and have some laughs while doing it!” The character Joe is further described as “a devoted husband , son, father and Philadelphia police officer. He is also a proud Black man and often feels pressured to be flawless in each of his roles, especially in light of controversies surrounding cops. He is a charming and exuberant role model in his community. Joe loves his wife and family, but does come up short in hilarious and endearing ways that keep audiences cheering for him.”

EXCLUSIVE: Geoff Stults (Little Fires Everywhere) is set for a key recurring role in ABC’s The Company You Keep, starring and executive produced by Milo Ventimiglia.

EXCLUSIVE: As The Goldbergs is wrapping its 10-season run on ABC, series star Wendi McLendon-Covey has been tapped to lead another single-camera broadcast comedy, NBC pilot St. Denis Medical.

BreAnna Bell Nancy Lenehan has signed on to join Ellie Kemper’s forthcoming comedy pilot “Drop-Off” at ABC as a series regular. She’ll play Marianne, the warm, caring and responsible mother of Julia (Kemper) who’s been taking care of her kids for the last six years. “Having been a working single mom herself, Marianne is not without compassion for Julia’s situation and she loves her grandchildren, but she’s done. Marianne has decided to live her own life from now on, and that includes having an affair with a guy named Rene and firmly taking some time for herself,” reads the character description. In addition to Kemper, she joins previously announced cast member Judy Greer.

Nancy Lenehan is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer, Karan Soni and Michaela Conlin also star.

Judy Greer is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Karan Soni also stars.

canceled in January after one season. Last summer, Greer shot the Disney+ feature “Hollywood Stargirl” with Uma Thurman and Grace VanderWaal for director Julia Hart, which recently dropped on the streamer.

BreAnna Bell Judy Greer has joined ABC’s “Drop-Off” (working title) as a series regular, Variety has learned. She’ll play Amanda, the hyper-confident, uber-organized, mom who seemingly has it all together and runs the inner circle at Julia’s kids’ school. She’s an expert at the art of a compliment that’s actually an insult. Amanda, who usually arranges babysitting swaps with the moms during school vacations, arranges a swap with Julia, who agrees to watch her kids while Amanda prepares for one of her famous dinner parties…which ends in disaster for Julia. She joins previously announced star Ellie Kemper, who leads the cast as Julia, a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village.

Ellie Kemper is set to executive producer and star in Lionsgate’s “Drop-Off” (working title), which has been given a pilot order by ABC. The project, which is based on Sharon Horgan’s BAFTA nominated British format comedy “Motherland,” will see Kemper play Julia, a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village.