Brody, Shawkat, Keener & Janney in talks to join THE ORANGES
Adam Brody (Cop Out, The O.C.), Alia Shawkat (Whip It, Arrested Development), Catherine Keener (Where the Wild Things Are, The Soloist) and Allison Janney (Away We Go, The West Wing) are in talks to join the cast of the family dramedy The Oranges, the second feature from London-born director Julian Farino (The Office, Entourage, Big Love).
Already set to star is Hugh Laurie (House, Street Kings) and Leighton Meester (Date Night, Gossip Girl).
Written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, The Oranges centers on a man (Laurie) who has a romantic relationship with the daughter (Meester) of a family friend. That turns their lives, and the lives of their families, upside down.
If they come aboard, Brody will play Laurie's son, who falls for Meester but is shocked to learn she's having a torrid affair with his dad; Shawkat would play Brody's sister, thinking of moving out, while Keener plays their mother, and Janney is Meester's mom.
Like Farino's television background, the entire cast, and potential new cast members, have had or are currently in well established television roles -- though I should note Keener's last steady TV role was in the late 80's, with Ohara. So will this just play out like two-episodes of a big-budget drama? The premise certainly sounds like one, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
Anthony Bregman and Leslie Urdang are producing the indie-pic, which finally secured financing and will begin lensing March 30th in New York.