Hannah Simone, Elizabeth Hurley to Star in CBS Comedy Pilot

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Hannah Simone and Elizabeth Hurley have been cast in the lead roles of the untitled CBS comedy pilot from Corinne Kingsbury, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein, Variety has learned. Both women will also serve as producers on the show in addition to starring.

In the show, when Penelope’s (Simone) career takes off at exactly the same time as her husband Josh’s (not yet cast), they call on Penelope’s young single mom, Georgia (Hurley), to help raise their son, but what they find is Georgia needs more raising than their kid.

Penelope is further described as a smart, hard-working producer at a sports TV network, wife to airline pilot Josh, and mother of their challenging toddler, Levi. Georgia is said to be in her late 40s but looks and acts much younger. Fun-loving and a bit immature, she doesn’t have the best judgment, especially when it comes to men. Georgia had Penelope when she was 17, and although she was a warm and loving single mom, their roles have reversed a bit now that Penelope is an adult. When Georgia becomes the babysitter to Penelope’s toddler, she might get a chance to redeem herself, but then again chaos tends to follow her.

Simone is best known for her role on the popular Fox comedy series “New Girl,” on which she appeared for the show’s entire seven season run. She also recently starred in two comedy pilots for ABC — a reboot of “Greatest American Hero” and an untitled comedy that she starred in, wrote, and executive produced. She has remained a highly sought after actress during pilot season since “New Girl” ended its run.

She is repped by UTA, Alpita Patel Management, and Ziffren Brittenham.

Should the project go to series, it would mark the first regular broadcast television role of Hurley’s career. She previously appeared in multiple episodes of “Gossip Girl,” while also having starred in the E! series “The Royals” and recently appearing on the Hulu-Marvel series “Runaways.” She is primarily known for her film work, having starred in features like “Austin Powers,” “Bedazzled,” and “The Weight of Water.”

She is repped by UTA.

Kingsbury, Daley, and Goldstein serve as writers and executive producers on the pilot, with Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor executive producing via Kapital Entertainment. Wendi Trilling will also executive produce with Simone and Hurley producing. Pamela Fryman is attached to direct and executive produce. Television Studios will produce.