HBO Picks Up Veep, Armando Iannucci’s New Comedy Series

It seems that HBO is dominating the headlines today, but this can only be good news. Today they have announced that they have picked up Veep which is a new comedy series created, written and directed by Armando Iannucci. The pilot has already been filmed and it stars Julia-Louis Dreyfus in the lead role who becomes the Vice President of the USA and is shocked when the job doesn’t turn out how she thought it would.
Iannucci is a real comedy hero, especially in Britain, where his TV series The Thick of It is one of the finest comedies to come out of TV in years. He’s probably most known to the US for his Oscar-nominated film In the Loop which is done in the same style as The Thick of It, which is handheld, mockumentary/improv style similar to The Office or This Is Spinal Tap. Who knows whether he’ll do the same thing with Veep but I’m just so happy that Iannucci has cracked America. His political observations are always sharp and with In the Loop he proved that he did have an understanding of American politics to.

Production is set to begin in Fall for a 2012 debut. You can read the entire press release below. (Deadline)

LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2011 – HBO has picked up the new comedy series VEEP, created by Armando Iannucci (Oscar nominee for co-writing “In the Loop”) and starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Emmy winner for “Seinfeld” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine”), it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. Iannucci co-wrote and directed the pilot of the series, which he executive produces along with Frank Rich of New York Magazine and Christopher Godsick (“Take the Lead”); Simon Blackwell, who co-wrote the pilot, co-executive produces and Julia Louis-Dreyfus produces.  VEEP, which is expected to shoot in Baltimore, will begin production this fall for 2012 debut on HBO.

Louis-Dreyfus heads the ensemble cast of the show, which also stars Sufe Bradshaw (“Overnight”), Anna Chlumsky (“In the Loop”), Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”), Reid Scott (“My Boys”), Tim Simons (“Days Together”) and Matt Walsh (“Outsourced”).

Set in Washington, D.C., VEEP stars Louis-Dreyfus as former Senator Selina Meyer, who becomes Vice President, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. Bradshaw plays Sue, Vice President Meyer’s assistant; Chlumsky plays Amy, her chief of staff; Hale plays Gary, her right-hand man; Scott plays Dan, an ambitious director of communications for a senator; Simons plays Jonah, a young and somewhat clueless White House liaison; and Walsh plays Mike, Vice President Meyer’s weathered spokesperson.

“Armando Iannucci is a master of smart, savvy humor, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is one of the sharpest comic actors around,” notes Sue Naegle, president, HBO Entertainment.  “We look forward to a memorable series from them and fellow executive producers Frank Rich and Christopher Godsick.”

“I’m thrilled more than anyone is legally entitled to be,” says Iannucci.  “HBO is the dream network to make television for, and I’m excited to be working with such a superb and funny cast headed by the uber-superb-and-funny Julia Louis-Dreyfus. If making season one of VEEP is as much fun as making the pilot, then I can die chuckling.  Plus, we get to say rude words.”

“It is a true delight to work with HBO and Armando Iannucci,” says Louis-Dreyfus.  “I take the role of vice president very seriously, and although everyone says this is a comedy, I don’t think there is anything funny at all about me being a heartbeat away from the presidency.”