‘Drop-Off’: Nancy Lenehan Joins ABC Comedy Pilot Based On British Series ‘Motherland’
Nancy Lenehan is set as a lead opposite Ellie Kemper in ABC’s Drop-Off (working title), a comedy pilot based on the British series Motherland, from writer Julieanne Smolinski, Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman Television, Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment, Lionsgate and ABC Signature. Judy Greer, Karan Soni and Michaela Conlin also star.
Written by Smolinski, Drop-Off (wt) centers on Julia (Kemper), a working mom for whom nothing is working so she goes looking for her village. With the help of new friends Calvin (Soni) and Liz (Conlin), Julia discovers she just might succeed at balancing work and parenting from time to time. This is a comedy for anybody who’s dropped their kids at school, breathed a sigh of relief … then realized it’s Sunday.
More from Deadline
'The Great British Bake Off' Confirms Alison Hammond As New Presenter
BBC 'Red Nose Day' Showrunner Urges Crew To "Make A Fuss" About Misconduct In Leaked Audio
Lenehan will play Marianne. Warm, loving, responsible, the kind of person who has rocks in her garden with platitudes chiseled on them, Marianne is Julia’s mother, who’s been taking care of her kids since the oldest was a baby — and that’s six years now. Having been a working single mom herself, Marianne is not without compassion for Julia’s situation and she loves her grandchildren, but she’s done. Marianne has decided to live her own life from now on, and that includes having an affair with a guy named Rene and firmly taking some time for herself.
Michael Showalter directs and executive produces alongside Smolinski, Kemper, Horgan, Mountford, Stacy Greenberg and Kira Carstensen for Merman Television, Paul Feig and Dan Magnante for Feigco Entertainment as well as Holly Walsh and Helen Serafinowicz.
Lenehan can most recently be seen in Prime Video’s A League Of Their Own. She has also recurred on the HBO Max series Generation, Bless This Mess for ABC, and HBO’s Veep. She also recently shot recurring roles for the series The Boys and Jack Ryan for Amazon Prime. On the film side, she recently shot Candy Cane Lane, a Reginald Hudlin-directed holiday comedy for Prime Video starring Eddie Murphy. Lenehan is repped by Pakula/King & Associates and Meghan Schumacher Management.
Best of Deadline
Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.