So it seems my little campaign to get Lauren Graham to play the lead in Amy Sherman-Palladino's new comedy pilot, The Return of Jezebel James, didn't exactly get off the ground.
But no matter. While Graham's recently been upped to producer over on Gilmore Girls (making the possibility of her signing the contract to do Season Eight more likely), Sherman-Palladino has found a different leading lady for Jezebel James, one that you wouldn't ordinarily expect to sign on to a multi-camera half-hour comedy.
Yes, ladies and gents, I am talking about the one and only Parker Posey.
Posey (Best in Show, Party Girl, and a zillion other films I love) will play Sarah, a successful children's book editor who, after learning that she can't conceive a child, tries to convince her hellion sister to carry the baby for her. She joins the already cast Scott Cohen, who plays her boyfriend (and lifelong bachelor) Marcus.
"I can't believe it's happening," Sherman-Palladino told the Hollywood Reporter. "Because it's a comedy, the character runs the gamut of emotions from laughing to flipping out to breaking your heart in 22 minutes, and only one in a zillion people has enough skill and charm to pull that off. Parker Posey is that person."
Sherman-Palladino says she and hubby Daniel sent the script for Jezebel James to Posey despite the indie actress turning down every other pilot script she'd ever been offered over the years. The rest, as the say, is history.
Personally, I think it's fantastic casting and Posey will definitely bring the character of Sarah to live. But I am still trying to work my head around how this layered, brilliantly nuanced script will work in the vein of a multi-camera, laugh track-enhanced sitcom. (Ouch.)
Casting Couch: Parker Posey to Take on "Jezebel James"
Written by Jace | Thursday, February 15, 2007 | 7 comments »Written by Jace on Thursday, February 15, 2007 Permalink Filed under: Casting Couch, FOX, Return of Jezebel James
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I love it!!
I'd been off her lately (don't know why, but she's been bugging me), but I recently remembered why I once loved her so after seeing her in For You Consideration (I thought she was one of the only bright spots in an otherwise lackluster film).
Yay! Excellent casting. I am now very excited to see this show come together.
Does anyone know when the pilot for Jezebel James will be shooting?
Anonymous,
Last I heard, they hadn't nailed down a shooting date (or determined whether it would shoot in Los Angeles or New York), though that will change now that Parker Posey's on board.
Stay tuned.
I have it from a very reliable source that production begins in New York mid September through December 07.
We just went to the shooting of episode 5 in Astoria, NY at Kaufman Studios. I think they are shooting mostly on Friday evenings.
This show is finally going to premiere in March! Friday the 14th at 8pm - looks like they're running 2 episodes in a row. Check it out - can't wait to see amy sherman-palladinos new show!