Showtime has ordered new half-hour comedy series White Famous led by actor and comedian Jay Pharoah (Saturday Night Live). The series is a collaboration between writer and showrunner Tom Kapinos (Californication) and Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx, based on Foxx’s personal experiences coming up in the business. Tim Story, the prolific director who helmed the movie franchises Barbershop, Fantastic Four, Ride Along and Think Like A Man, will executive produce and direct the pilot.
A co-production of Lionsgate Television and Showtime, White Famous will focus on a talented, young African-American comedian, Floyd Mooney (Pharoah), whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross-over toward becoming “white famous.”
Megalyn Echikunwoke (CSI: Miami, House of Lies) plays Floyd’s ex-girlfriend “Sadie,” the love of his life and the mother of his son. Utkarsh Ambudkar (The Mindy Project) plays “Malcolm,” Floyd’s frustrated agent who wants his client to do whatever it takes to make it big. Jacob Ming-Trent (Feed the Beast) and Lonnie Chavis (This is Us) also star. Stephen Tobolowsky (The Goldbergs) guest stars in the series’ pilot.
The series will be written and executive produced by Kapinos, and executive produced by Foxx, who will guest star in a recurring role.
