EXCLUSIVE: Billions co-star Malin Akerman, 2 Broke Girls alum Kat Dennings and Jane Seymour (Let’s Get Physical) are set to topline the ensemble comedy Friendsgiving, from first-time film director Nicol Paone. Akerman also will produce with her The Heartbreak Kid co-star Ben Stiller via his Red Hour shingle, alongside Nicky Weinstock and Haroon Saleem.
Written by Paone, the story follows Molly (Akerman), a glamorous, newly divorced actor, and Abby (Dennings), her recently-dumped lesbian best friend, with Seymour as Helen, Molly’s gorgeous Swedish mother. Together, along with their motley crew of close friends and strange acquaintances, they host a dysfunctional, comical and chaotic Thanksgiving dinner.
Related Stories
The pic also co-stars Aisha Tyler as Lauren, Deon Cole as her husband Dan, Ryan Hansen as Molly’s ex-boyfriend Gunnar, Chelsea Peretti as the new-age shaman Claire, Christine Taylor as Brianne and Wanda Sykes and Margaret Cho as Abby’s Fairy Gaymothers.
Watch on Deadline
Endeavor Content is co-financing the project, with Red Hour and handling global sales.
As an actress, Paone has appeared in This Is 40 and 30 Rock, as well as The Heartbreak Kid and ABC’s Trophy Wife. Both of those also starred Akerman, who onscreen as the villain in New Line Cinema’s Rampage in addition to Billions, which is in its third season on Showtime.
Dennings recently wrapped six seasons of CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls, and her film credits include Thor, Thor: The Dark World, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Seymour, known for her Golden Globe-winning lead role in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, recently starred in the Pop TV comedy Let’s Get Physical and next will be seen opposite Robert De Niro in The War with Grandpa.
Akerman is repped by WME, Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management and Jackoway Tyerman; Dennings by UTA, Management 360 and Sloane Offer; Seymour by Innovative; Cole by APA and Kirsten Ames Management; Paone by Mosaic and Jackoway Tyerman.
Red Hour’s upcoming film slate includes Craig Johnson-directed coming-of-age dramedy Alex Strangelove for Netflix; The Package, also for Netflix; and Plus One, an indie directed by Andrew Rhymer and Jeff Chan.