News

Exclusive: Rachael Leigh Cook, star of ‘90s movies including She’s All That, has signed a wide-ranging deal with Fox’s Marvista Entertainment.

The pact will see Cook develop, produce and act in a number of projects including a holiday film and There She Goes (w/t), a feature loosely based on her real-life experiences.

It comes as Cook is starring in Netflix’s A Tourist’s Guide to Love, which launches this month.

The deal is one of the highest profile partnerships unveiled by Marvista Entertainment since it was acquired by Fox Entertainment in December 2021.

Leigh Cook will develop and produce several projects across genres over the next few years via her production company Ben’s Sister Productions. She will work in front of and behind the camera.

The deal was shepherded by Hannah Pillemer, EVP, Creative Affairs, MarVista Entertainment.

The first few projects revealed are There She Goes, which will star...

Actress/singer Christina Milian (Be Cool) has teamed up with The Conjuring screenwriters Chad and Carey Hayes to produce the thriller Body Language for MarVista Entertainment. Milian stars in the film alongside Steven Strait (The Expanse), Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot), Gregg Wayans (Kidding), and Robert Belushi (Ballers).

Belushi wrote the screenplay with director Cory Miller, crafting a story that centers on Milian’s character Mariana, who serves as Director of Personnel for a major security firm. Mariana excels at reading people, a skill that’s put to the test one night when her fiancé’s enigmatic college buddy, Dylan (Strait), visits to cook a celebratory engagement dinner.

Body Language is a feature expansion of a short film Miller and Belushi previously made together. Miller explained to Deadline: “Body Language has a great origin story. Rob and I made this as a short film and were showing it at the Malibu...

Exclusive: Christina Milian (Step Up: High Water) and Steven Strait (The Expanse) will topline the thriller Body Language from MarVista Entertainment, which has wrapped production. Others set for the film directed by Cory Miller, which marks Milian’s first as a producer, include Annie Gonzalez (Flamin’ Hot), Gregg Wayans (Kidding) and Robert Belushi (Ballers).

Written by Miller and Belushi, Body Language centers on Mariana (Milian), who serves as Director of Personnel for a major security firm. Mariana excels at reading people, a skill that’s put to the test one night when her fiancé’s enigmatic college buddy, Dylan (Strait), visits to cook a celebratory engagement dinner.

Milian is joined as a producer on Body Language by Chad and Carey Hayes (The Conjuring), as well as Neon Kite’s Lisa Wight and Jay Glazer, Belushi, and Mandy June Turpin. Carmen Milian is exec producing alongside Larry Grimaldi, Hannah Pillemer and Fernando Szew for MarVista Entertainment.

Single Drunk Female, a comedy starring Sofia Black-d’Elia, has been handed a series order at Freeform.

The Disney-owned network has ordered ten episodes of the series, which is written by The Conners’ Simone Finch, after piloting the project.

It comes as Freeform has passed on its other current pilot, None of the Above, and picked up Phoebe Robinson’s adaptation of her memoir, Everything’s Trash But It’s Ok to pilot.

Single Drunk Female follows irreverent alcoholic Samantha Fink, who, after a spectacularly embarrassing public breakdown, is forced to move back home with her “Smother” to sober up and avoid jail time. But when her childhood Bff reveals surprising news, Samantha realizes she can no longer qualify as a party girl—she’s a walking disaster.

Black-d’Elia, who has featured in Showtime’s Your Honor and Fox’s The Mick, stars as Fink. It also stars Ally Sheedy,...

In today’s TV news roundup, coronavirus drama “The Second Wave” adds Phillipa Soo, Will Swenson and Leslie Uggams to its cast, and “Adventure Time: Distant Lands” unveiled the first four minutes of its upcoming special “Obsidian.”

Casting

CBS Studios and Spectrum Original’s coronavirus drama “The Second Wave” announced new casting updates with Will Swenson as a series regular and Phillipa Soo and Leslie Uggams as recurring guest stars. Swenson, best known for his work in musical theatre productions such as “Les Miserables” and “Hair,” will portray Brian Ritter, a thrill-seeking top photojournalist who is not looking forward to the upcoming citywide lockdown. Soo, known for playing the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton in the critically-acclaimed “Hamilton,” will portray Cyndi Estereo, a White House liaison to the CDC who will stop at nothing to conceal the truth. Tony Award-winning actor and singer Uggams, best known for her portrayal of...

Freeform has set the full cast for its None of the Above (working title) pilot, a single-camera comedy written and executive produced by Kenny Smith (Black-ish). Gregg Wayans (Kidding) and Asjha Cooper (Snowfall) are set as leads, and Ron Taylor, Justin Miles (Paradise Lost) and Katelyn Tarver (Famous in Love) round out the series regular cast.

None of the Above, from ABC Signature and Tornante TV, is a single-cam comedy that follows Cannon (Wayans) and his best friend Valencia (Cooper), two college friends that find their transition into the “real” world isn’t easy because they don’t quite conform to other people’s expectations.

Wayans’ Cannon is a self-assured, witty guy who is always open to new experiences… except when he’s suddenly not.

Cooper’s Valencia is a strong-willed woman of devout faith, whose drive to succeed can often border on obsessive and gets her into trouble.

A Freeform pilot from former Black-ish showrunner Kenny Smith has set its core cast.

Gregg Wayans and Asjha Cooper will head the cast of None of the Above as two college friends whose transition into the “real” world isn’t easy because they don’t quite conform to other people’s expectations. Ron Taylor, Justin Miles and Katelyn Tarver also star.

The single-camera comedy comes from ABC Signature, where Smith has an overall deal. Smith (The Game, Marlon) executive produces with director Mo Marable (Woke), former Freeform head of originals Lauren Corrao and Tornante TV.

Wayans (Marlon), the nephew of Keenen, Damon, Kim, Marlon ...

A Freeform pilot from former Black-ish showrunner Kenny Smith has set its core cast.

Gregg Wayans and Asjha Cooper will head the cast of None of the Above as two college friends whose transition into the “real” world isn’t easy because they don’t quite conform to other people’s expectations. Ron Taylor, Justin Miles and Katelyn Tarver also star.

The single-camera comedy comes from ABC Signature, where Smith has an overall deal. Smith (The Game, Marlon) executive produces with director Mo Marable (Woke), former Freeform head of originals Lauren Corrao and Tornante TV.

Wayans (Marlon), the nephew of Keenen, Damon, Kim, Marlon ...