‘Silicon Valley’ Star Zach Woods Joins HBO Comedy Pilot ‘Avenue 5’

By Joe Otterson

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Zach Woods is staying in the HBO fold.

The actor, who currently stars in the comedy series “Silicon Valley,” has been cast in the comedy pilot “Avenue 5” currently in the works at the premium cabler. The project is described as a comedy set in the future, mostly in space.

Woods will play Matt Spencer, head of Customer Relations. Despite being a nihilist, Matt is a nice guy who can’t wait to get to the end of his final cruise before a promotion to a more senior role on Earth. He has a performance background, but gave up trying to make it as an entertainer years ago.

HBO has given the project a pilot commitment with an order for back-up scripts. Armando Iannucci, the creator of HBO’s critically acclaimed comedy “Veep,” also created “Avenue 5” and will serve as executive producer.

Woods joins previously announced cast members Hugh Laurie, Suzy Nakamura, and Rebecca Front. His casting comes after it was announced that filming on Season 6 of “” has been delayed until this summer, meaning the show will likely not return until 2020.

Woods is currently filming the Fox Searchlight feature “Downhill” alongside Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, set to premiere in 2020. He is also known for playing Gabe on the NBC series “The Office.” Other TV roles include appearances on “The Good Wife,” “The League,” “Kroll Show,” and “Comedy Bang! Bang!” On the feature side, he has been seen in films like “Other People,” “Ghostbusters,” “Mascots,” and “The Heat.”

He is repped by UTA, Rise Management, and Schreck Rose.