Californication creator Tom Kapinos has recruited series alum Stephen Tobolowsky for a role in his next Showtime half-hour comedy project, pilot White Famous, executive produced by Jamie Foxx who will play a version of himself on a recurring basis. And there may be a deeper connection to the long-running Showtime comedy toplined by David Duchovny.
White Famous centers on Floyd, a talented, young African-American comedian (Jay Pharoah) 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.”
Tobolowsky will play the high-powered producer of Jamie Foxx’s new film. If that sounds familiar, that is because Tobolowsky also played a hot-shot Hollywood producer, Stu Beggs, for four seasons on Californication. While the producer character in White Famous was originally named Peter King, I hear that has evolved, and Tobolowsky would in fact be playing Stu Beggs. Showtime would not comment and would not confirm the name of Tobolowsky’s character.
The role was conceived as series regular though Tobolowsky was cast in the pilot as a guest star as he a series regular on Netflix’s One Day at a Time. His status if the pilot goes to series is TBD but he could recur the way he did on Californication.
Tobolowsky has a very full TV plate. In addition to his co-starring role on One Day at a Time, he recurs as Principal Ball on ABC’s The Goldbergs and also has been heavily recurring on HBO’s Silicon Valley. Tobolowsky is repped by Innovative Artists and Framework.
Cast in White Famous as a regular is young actor Lonnie Chavis (This is Us) who will play Floyd (Pharoah) and Sadie’s (Megalyn Echikunwoke) son. Utkarsh Ambudkar and Jacob Ming-Trent co-star.
Chavis is repped by Zuri Model & Talent Agency and Randy James Management.
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