LOS ANGELES: Ben Stiller has agreed a deal with US TV giant, CBS, for a new comedy series that will also star his wife, Christine Taylor.
It is reported that Stiller will direct and executive produce the pilot episode and will have a recurring role if the series gets the green light.
The comedy series is to be based on Taylor’s life.
Her character will juggle career and family with relatives visiting from her hometown; Stiller will play her onscreen husband.
The comedy is being considered for single-camera treatment rather than the three-camera sitcom approach.
“She is a small-town girl who has found her way into Hollywood but still retains a lot of the values and humility (of her upbringing),”
CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler said. “There are times when she is befuddled by her status — being an actress married to a big movie star.”
Taylor and Sahgal are familiar faces at CBS. Taylor has starred in several pilots for the network, including “The Commuters” and “Harry’s Girl.”
“We love her,” Tassler said. “And we are over the moon” about working with Stiller,” she said.
Sahgal penned CBS’ comedy pilot “The Angriest Man in Suburbia” this past development season.
For Stiller, the deal marks the most significant series commitment since the actor’s Emmy-winning 1992 comedy/variety show on Fox.
In September, Stiller is slated to begin shooting the DreamWorks feature “Seven Day Itch,” from the writing-directing team of Peter and Bobby Farrelly.
On the small screen, he most recently did several episodes of Fox’s Emmy-winning comedy “Arrested Development.”
Taylor, who also did multiple episodes of “Arrested,” most recently starred on ABC’s comedy pilot “52 Fights” this development season.
She appeared with Stiller on the big screen in 2004’s “Dodgeball” and in “Zoolander” (2001), which he directed and co-wrote.
Her upcoming big-screen projects include the Ken Kwapis-directed comedy “License to Wed,” from Warner Bros.