Nisha Ganatra Set To Direct All 10 Episodes
LOS ANGELES, CA – August 25, 2015 – Greg Poehler (creator, writer, EP and star of “Welcome to Sweden”) and Rachel Blanchard (“Fargo,” “Flight of the Conchords”) have been cast in the lead roles in DIRECTV’s new series, “You Me Her,” from Entertainment One Television (eOne). The series was created by EP/showrunner John Scott Shepherd, author of “Henry’s List of Wrongs” and creator of “The Days” (ABC) and “Save Me” (NBC).
The ten half-hour episode series will be directed entirely by Golden Globe® winner Nisha Ganatra (“Transparent,” “Shameless,” “Married”) and will air on DIRECTV’s Audience Network.
In “You Me Her,” Shepherd has crafted television’s first “polyromantic comedy,” infusing the sensibilities of a smart, grounded indie rom-com with a distinctive twist: One of the two parties just happens to be a suburban married couple.
Jack (Poehler) and Emma (Blanchard) are happily married but coming off several years of “baby sex” and fertility struggles. A waning sex life and a sequence of surprising turns are about to spin their relationship in a direction neither could have possibly imagined.
“I was such a fan of ‘Welcome to Sweden,’ the casting process for Jack ended the second I knew Greg was available,” said Shepherd. “In my opinion, he’s one of the best naturalistic ‘everyman’ comedic actors in the business. I was a fan of Rachel’s long before her wonderful turn in ‘Fargo,’ especially the amazing British comedy ‘Peep Show.’ We’re aiming very high with ‘You Me Her,’ and I feel like Greg and Rachel are Jack and Emma Trakarsky.”
Shepherd also said, “Nisha Ganatra is one of the hottest directors in television, had a hand in ‘Transparent’ from prep through post including directing three episodes. She brings exactly the kind of story and visual taste and style a show like this requires.”
eOne will finance, produce and distribute “You Me Her” worldwide, with John Morayniss and Gerard Bocaccio overseeing for the studio.
The series was originally inspired by the Playboy Magazine article “Sugar on Top” by John H. Richardson. Alta Loma Entertainment’s Peter Jaysen will serve as an Executive Producer along with Alan Gasmer (“Vikings”).
Greg Poehler and John Scott Shepherd are represented by Paradigm. Rachel Blanchard is represented by Don Buchwald & Associates and Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management. Nisha Ganatra is represented by ICM Partners and Sher Law Group.
About DIRECTV:
DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is one of the world’s leading providers of digital television entertainment services delivering a premium video experience through state-of-the-art technology, unmatched programming and industry leading customer service to more than 39 million customers in the U.S. and Latin America. In the U.S., DIRECTV offers its over 20 million customers access to more than 195 HD channels and Dolby-Digital® 5.1 theater-quality sound, access to exclusive sports programming such as NFL SUNDAY TICKET™, Emmy-award winning technology and higher customer satisfaction than the leading cable companies for 14 years running. DIRECTV Latin America, through its subsidiaries and affiliated companies in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, and other Latin American countries, leads the pay TV category in technology, programming and service, delivering an unrivaled digital television experience to more than 19 million customers. DIRECTV sports and entertainment properties include ownership interests and management of four Regional Sports Networks: ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain, Pittsburgh, Southwest and Northwest; and has minority ownership interests in Game Show Network. For the most up-to-date information on DIRECTV, please visit directv.com.
About Audience Network:
Always Original. Always Smart. Always Bold. Never Ordinary. Audience is a unique and exclusive television experience available only to DIRECTV subscribers. The channel first made its mark by partnering with NBC to produce and air three additional seasons of the Emmy Award-winning series Friday Night Lights and then became the exclusive home of the Emmy Award-winning drama Damages, starring Glenn Close and Rose Byrne. DIRECTV continues its commitment to original, provocative content with a growing slate of critically acclaimed original series including the MMA drama Kingdom, starring Frank Grillo and Nick Jonas; the suspense-drama ROGUE, starring Thandie Newton and Cole Hauser; Full Circle: Chicago Payback, written by Keith Huff and starring Calista Flockhart, Eric McCormack, Rita Wilson, and Terry O’Quinn; and Neil LaBute’s second project with the network, Billy & Billie, starring Adam Brody and Lisa Joyce. Audience is also home to acclaimed original documentaries including The Fighting Season, a first hand account at the deadliest year in our nation’s longest war, Executive Produced by Ricky Schroder. Sports fans will find live, daily sports and entertainment news from two renowned sports journalists with The Dan Patrick Show and The Rich Eisen Show. Plus, viewers can enjoy exclusive concerts by today’s hottest artists on Guitar Center Sessions and intimate interviews with top talent like Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain on Off Camera with Sam Jones. It’s original entertainment you won’t see anywhere else. For more info, please visit directv.com/audience
About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company’s comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.
eOne produces and distributes a diverse slate of award-winning, critically acclaimed programming across all genres, and has a proven track record in delivering successful long running series. Hit original shows from the company include Hell on Wheels, an AMC signature series, Rogue for DirecTV, Welcome to Sweden for NBC, Rookie Blue for ABC, Stephen King’s Haven and Bitten for Syfy, the limited series Klondike for Discovery and The Book of Negroes for BET, as well as Saving Hope, Nellyville and Mary Mary, among others. In addition, the company’s slate includes a number of highly successful series coming out of its output relationship with AMC and SundanceTV including The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire, Turn and The Red Road.
About Alta Loma Entertainment
Alta Loma Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Playboy Enterprises, Inc., a media and lifestyle company that markets the brand through a wide range of media properties and licensing initiatives. Playboy is one of the most recognized and popular consumer brands in the world. The company publishes Playboy magazine in the United States and licenses foreign editions of Playboy around the world; operates Playboy.com, a leading men’s lifestyle and entertainment site; and creates content for distribution via feature films, television networks, websites, mobile platforms and radio. Through licensing agreements, the Playboy brand appears on a wide range of consumer products in more than 180 countries, as well as retail stores and entertainment venues. For more information about Playboy Enterprises, please visit www.PlayboyEnterprises.com.