Hulu has given a 10-episode series order to Dollface, a comedy starring and executive produced by 2 Broke Girls alumna Kat Dennings. The project hails from writerJordan Weiss (Harley Quinn), ABC Signature Studios as well as producers Margot Robbie and Brett Hedblom from LuckyChap Entertainment and Bryan Unkeless and Scott Morgan from Clubhouse Pictures who produced together I, Tonya.
The four producers, Dennings and Weiss originally set up the project at Hulu last fall. It follows a young woman (Dennings) who – after being dumped by her longtime boyfriend – must deal with her own imagination in order to literally and metaphorically re-enter the world of women, and rekindle the female friendships she left behind.
Comedy veteran Ira Ungerleider has been tapped as showrunner on the series, executive producing alongside Dennings, creator-writer Weiss, Robbie, Hedblom and Tom Ackerley for LuckyChap; Unkeless and Morgan for Clubhouse Pictures, Dennings’ manager Nicole King as well as Stephanie Laing (Vice Principals) who was initially attached to direct the potential pilot. Matt Spicer (Ingrid Goes West) will executive produce and direct the first episode, with Laing expected to direct subsequent episodes.
The writers room has opened on Dollface, which is set to begin production in 2019. (see the Instagram post LuckyChap did to commemorate the occasion under the story.)
This past spring, Dennings was cast as the lead of an ABC Studios comedy pilot for ABC but remained committed to Dollface and returned after the ABC pilot did not to series, drawn by the material.
“Reading Jordan’s script was like opening a window into my own brain,” she said. “I’m so inspired by the stellar team we have around us and the unique world of this show, especially with Matt Spicer at the helm.”
Dollface joins Hulu’s slate of upcoming original comedy series slate, which includes Ramy, Mindy Kaling’s Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shrill.
“Jordan is an exciting, new voice that has something specific and provocative to say about her generation,” said Hulu’s SVP of Content, Craig Erwich. “As we seek out fresh perspectives and new, thought-provoking projects, Dollface is exactly the type of relatable, yet distinct, series we know our audience will love. We can’t wait to work with Jordan and Kat, as well as our partners at ABC Signature Studios, LuckyChap Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures, to bring this series to life.”
This marks the third series at Hulu for ABC Signature Studios, the cable/streaming division of ABC Studios run by Tracy Underwood, joining the upcoming limited series Little Fires Everywhere, starring Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, and Marvel’s Runaways. ABC Signature also recently received a straight-to-series order for High Fidelity for the Disney direct-to-consumer streaming service starring Zoë Kravitz.
Dollhouse also marks the first joint TV production project for LuckyChap Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures, who together produced the award-winning film I, Tonya and are in active pre-production on the untitled Birds of Prey film at Warner Bros.
“We are thrilled to expand our partnership into television and produce Dollface with such fantastic and collaborative partners as we continue to champion strong and unique female characters onscreen,” says LuckyChap Entertainment and Clubhouse Pictures. “We couldn’t be more excited that Kat Dennings will take on this incredible and complex character.”
Dennings is best known for her co-lead role on the CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls, which ended its six-season run last spring. She recently wrapped production on the independent comedy feature Friendsgiving starring opposite Malin Akerman and Jane Seymour. Dennings was last seen on the big screen in Disney/Marvel Studios’ famed box-office hits Thor and Thor: The Dark World. She is repped by UTA, Harris Hartman and Management 360.
Weiss is repped by CAA, Mosaic, and attorney Patti Felker. Laing is repped by CAA, Artists First, and attorney David Fox. Lucky Chap Entertainment is repped by CAA, Management 360, and attorney Jeff Bernstein. Spicer is repped by CAA, Management 360, and attorney Karl Austen.
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