HBO has picked up Veep, a D.C.-set comedy pilot about a female Vice President of the U.S. from British comedian, writer and director Armando Iannucci. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is in talks for the lead in the project, set "very near the White House" and centered on former Senator Selina Meyer who finds being Vice President is nothing like she expected and everything everyone ever warned her about. Iannucci will co-write and direct the pilot as well as executive produce with Chris Godsick and Frank Rich under the New York Times columnist's deal with HBO. Iannucci has long political satire experience. His popular and BAFTA-winning British comedy series The Thick of It satirizes the inner workings of the British government. (Ianucci is writing Veep with one of his top writers on that series, Simon Blackwell). The Thick of It spawned the 2009 feature spinoff In the Loop starring Tom Hollander and James Gandolfini that earned an Oscar nomination for its script, co-written by Iannucci and Blackwell.


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After month-long negotiations, Juila Louis-Dreyfus has closed a deal to star in HBO's comedy pilot Veep, from British comedian, writer and director Armando Iannucci. The Seinfeld alumna will play the central character, former Senator Selina Meyer who becomes Vice President. Iannucci co-wrote and will direct the pilot as well as executive produce with Chris Godsick and Frank Rich. Louis-Dreyfus, who most recently starred on the CBS comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine, will serve as a producer.

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