Fresh off an Oscar win, “Spotlight” star Brian d’Arcy James has been cast in CBS’s comedy pilot “Superior Donuts,” Variety has learned.
“Superior Donuts” follows the relationship between the owner of a donut shop, his new young employee and their patrons in a gentrifying neighborhood of Chicago. The comedy is based on the 2008 play by Tracy Letts.
D’Arcy James will co-star opposite Jermaine Fowler, playing Arthur, the owner of Superior Donuts. His character is described as a typically gruff to-the-point Chicagoan and the patriarch to his loyal customers.
Fowler will play Franco, the new employee at the donut shop who works under Arthur (D’Arcy James). As gentrification looms, Franco sees the donut shop as a symbol of everything he loves about the neighborhood with its authenticity and realness so he makes it his mission to drag the shop — and Arthur — into the 21st century. Along with the two leads D’Arcy James and Fowler, Maz Jobrani is also a series regular in the potential series, playing Maz, a high-energy, over-caffeinated businessman who is living the American dream, as he’s been buying up buildings and investing in businesses in the Uptown neighborhood, waiting for gentrification to come and make him rich. He’s constantly after Arthur to sell him the donut shop so he can control the entire block.
Aside from “Spotlight,” which won best picture at this past weekend’s Academy Awards, D’Arcy James’ credits include “Smash,” “The Big C” and “The Good Wife.” He currently stars in “Something Rotten” on Broadway and is a three-time Tony Award nominee. He is repped by Gersh and Thruline.
The multi-camera comedy hails from writers Neil Goldman, Garrett Donovan and Bob Daily who will exec produce alongside Mark Teitelbaum, John Montgomery, Michael Rotenberg and Josh Lieberman. Aside from starring, Fowler is attached as a co-exec producer. Comedy vet James Burrows will direct the pilot. CBS Television Studios is producing.
