Recent “Saturday Night Live” expats Jay Pharaoh and Taran Killam have found their next gigs: starring roles in separate Showtime pilots.
Pharaoh has nabbed the lead role in “White Famous,” a comedy from Jamie Foxx. Killam will star in“Mating,” a comedy anthology from Jason Katims. The casting announcements were made Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.
“White Famous,” a half-hour comedy, will focus on a talented, young African-American comedian — played by Pharaoh — whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross-over towards becoming “white famous.” The potential series is based on Foxx’s life, and he will appear on-screen in a recurring role.
“Mating,” also a half-hour comedy, will explore modern dating and relationships with each potential season exploring a different protagonist’s journey. The first season will center on a recently divorced guy — played by Killam — who married young and now finds himself completely unprepared for the brave new, frank and fluid world of dating and hooking up. The potential series, hailing from “Parenthood’s” Katims and writer Stu Zicherman, was ordered as a cast-contingent pilot, and now with Killam’s buzz-worthy casting, the project is certainly a hot package.
