News

"Queen America" is a new 'dark comedy' series, created by Meaghan Oppenheimer, that premiered November 18, 2018, on "Facebook Watch", starring Catherine Zeta Jones, Belle Shouse, Teagle F. Bougere, Rana Roy, Molly Price, Isabella Amara, and Megan West:

"...set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the series follows 'Vicki Ellis', the most ruthless pageant coach in the state and the hapless 'Samantha Cole' who hopes Vicki can mold her into worthwhile contender for the title of 'Miss America'.

"Vicki is desperately sought after by young women competing to be Miss America for one reason. She can turn any girl into a winner. But when she gets paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha, Vicki’s entire reputation might is at stake..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Queen America"...

In today’s TV roundup, ABC released new footage for the upcoming season of “Grey’s Anatomy” and Starz announced a new trailer for the fourth season of “Outlanders.”

Dates

Facebook Watch’s “Queen America,” starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, is set to premiere Nov. 21. The 10 episode series follows Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), one of the most renowned pageant coaches in Oklahoma, as she tries to help an unpolished young woman (Belle Shouse) win a pageant show. Watch a clip from the show below.

Programming

NBC announced a new companion series to “The Voice” called “Comeback Stage.” During the ten-part series, country singer Kelsea Ballerini will serve as a fifth judge and mentor six singers that do not get chosen for a team during the blind auditions. Then, after battling among themselves for a spot on “The Voice,” two finalists will perform live for America’s vote and the chance to return. The...

Catherine Zeta-Jones’ new Facebook Watch series Queen America will premiere Wednesday, November 21, the video platform announced today.

The 10-episode scripted series stars Zeta-Jones as Vicki Ellis, a renowned and ruthless pageant coach in Oklahoma. Her reputation is at stake when she is paired to make an unpolished young woman named Samantha to make her the winning pageant queen.

Additional cast includes Judith Light, Jennifer Westfeldt, Victoria Justice, Teagle Bougere, Rana Roy, Isabella Amara, Molly Price and Megan West.

Queen America was created, written and executive produced by Meaghan Oppenheimer (Fear The Walking Dead), and hails from wiip, the new independent studio launched and led by Paul Lee and Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, which will serve as co-studio partner. Lee serves as an executive producer on the project, alongside Bruna Papandrea and Casey Haver of Made Up Stories, Guymon Casady...

Two-time Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Judith Light has been tapped to recur in Queen America, Facebook Watch’s upcoming dark comedy series starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, created, written, and executive produced by Meaghan Oppenheimer (Fear The Walking Dead).

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Queen America revolves around Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), the most renowned (and ruthless) pageant coach in the state, and the beautiful and kind, but clumsy, ignorant and insecure Samantha ( Belle Shouse) who hopes Vicki can mold her into a worthwhile contender. Vicki is desperately sought after by young women competing to be pageant queen royalty for one reason; she can turn any girl into a winner. But when she’s paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha, Vicki’s entire reputation is at stake.

Light will play Regina, Vicki’s (Zeta-Jones) former pageant coach, who transformed Vicki from a trailer park girl. Bred from “old money,” Regina represents much of what Vicki aspires to,...

Judith Light has been cast in the upcoming Facebook Watch series “Queen America” in a guest starring role.

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, “Queen America” is the story of Vicki Ellis (Catherine Zeta-Jones), the most renowned and ruthless pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha who hopes Vicki can mold her into a worthwhile contender.

Light will play Regina, Vicki’s former pageant coach, who transformed Vicki from a trailer park girl. Bred from “old money,” Regina represents much of what Vicki aspires to, fueling the duo’s toxic and complex relationship.

Light currently stars in the Amazon series “Transparent,” for which she’s received two Emmy nominations, a Golden Globe nomination and three Critics’ Choice nominations. She also recently received an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for her work in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” marking her fourth Primetime Emmy nod.

Make your way to the throne and claim your crown with the great gigs in today’s roundup! “Queen America,” the Facebook Watch streaming series starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, is casting background actors to portray gala guests in Atlanta, Georgia. Plus, a new play about immigrant brothers is seeking its leads, a music video for an R&B-downtempo hip-hop track is casting its lead couple, and a major feature is casting its funnyman. “Queen America”Casting is now underway for “Queen America,” the Facebook Watch streaming series starring Catherine Zeta-Jones about Vicki Ellis, the most renowned and ruthless pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha, who hopes Vicki can mold her into a worthwhile contender for Miss America. Talent, aged 30–59, is wanted to portray gala guests in background roles. The production will film on June 20 and/or Aug. 3 in Atlanta, Georgia. Pay is $75 for eight hours of work. Apply here!

The series is created and written by ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ writer Meagan Oppenheimer.

Facebook’s new video platform Facebook Watch has hired Alethea Jones to direct its upcoming series Queen America, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The series, which has been given a 10-episode order, is created, written and executive produced by Meagan Oppenheimer (Fear The Walking Dead).

Jones will direct all 10 episodes and is also a co-executive producer.

The series is a dark comedy about Oklahoma pageant coach Vicki Ellis and her hapless charge Samantha Stone, a beautiful but unpolished girl who Vicki must try to turn into pageant royalty.

Alethea Jones (Fun Mom Dinner) is set to direct all 10 episodes of Queen America, the upcoming Facebook Watch series starring Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Created, written, and executive produced by Meaghan Oppenheimer, the dark comedy is set in Tulsa, Ok. It revolves around Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), the most renowned (and ruthless) pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha Stone, who hopes Vicki can mold her into a worthwhile contender. Vicki is desperately sought after by young women competing to be pageant queen royalty for one reason: She can turn any girl into a winner. But when she gets paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha, Vicki’s entire reputation might be at stake.

“Within 10 minutes of starting to read Queen America‘s first episode, I was blown away ­by the world, the characters and the comedy so beautifully written by Meaghan Oppenheimer,” said Aussie filmmaker Jones, who also will serve as co-ep.

In today’s roundup, Alethea Jones is set to direct “Queen America” for Facebook Watch, “Stand Up To Cancer” returns and the Hollywood Radio and Television Society will be hosting Ryan Murphy for a panel.

Renewals

Sundance Now announced it has renewed the crime drama “Riviera” starring Julia Stiles. The show is expected to stream on Sundance Now in 2019, and will feature new cast members Alex Lanipekun, as well as the previously announced Will Arnett, Juliet Stevenson, Poppy Delevingne, Jack Fox, and Grégory Fitoussi.

Dates

ABC announced “Stand Up To Cancer” will return for its sixth telecast on Friday, Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Et. Bradley Cooper will return as co-executive producer along with

the renowned live-event producing team Done + Dusted.

AMC announced “Talking with Chris Hardwick” will return with new episodes on Sunday, June 17 at 11:00 p.m. The initial lineup of guests set to appear include (not in air order): Chris Pratt,...

The battle for Power continues in a new trailer for Season 5 of the Starz drama.

As the video above shows, forthcoming episodes will highlight Raina’s funeral, Ghost’s rekindled partnership with Kanan and Angela’s inability to quit Jamie.

The series returns Sunday, July 1 at 8/7c.

Ready for more of today’s newsy nuggets? Well…

* NCIS star David McCallum has closed a deal to return to the CBS drama for Season 16, the actor shared on Facebook. McCallum, who plays Chief Medical Examiner Donald “Ducky” Mallard, will continue to have an alleviated workload, allowing him to spend time with his family,...

Catherine Zeta-Jones has signed on to play the lead role in a new Facebook Watch series titled “Queen America,” Variety has learned.

The one-hour series, which has received a 10-episode straight-to-series-order, is described as a dark comedy set in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It revolves around Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), the most renowned and ruthless pageant coach in the state, and the hapless Samantha Stone, who hopes Vicki can mold her into worthwhile contender for the title of Miss America. Vicki is desperately sought after by young women competing to be Miss America for one reason; she can turn any girl into a winner. But when she gets paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha, Vicki’s entire reputation might be at stake.

Zeta-Jones most recently starred in the Lifetime movie “Cocaine Godmother: The Griselda Blanco Story.” She also appeared as Olivia de Havilland in the first season of the Ryan Murphy anthology series “Feud.

Facebook has given a ten-episode straight-to-series order to Queen America, a dark comedy starring Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones in her first U.S. TV series role, to run on new video platform Facebook Watch.

Created by Meaghan Oppenheimer (Fear the Walking Dead), Queen America marks the first series order for wiip, the new independent studio launched and led by former ABC Entertainment Group president Paul Lee, which is backed by CAA. The venture stems from lengthy discussions the talent agency held with the former ABC boss about a potential scripted series production entity following his exit from the broadcast network.

Lee’s wiip (word.idea.imagination.production), described as a talent-driven studio, has teamed on Queen America with Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, which will serve as co-studio partner.

Set in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Queen America is a dark comedy about Vicki Ellis (Zeta-Jones), the most renowned (and ruthless) pageant coach in the state,...

Facebook has given a straight-to-series order to the dark comedy <em>Queen America</em> starring Catherine Zeta-Jones. 

Created and written by Meaghan Oppenheimer (<em>Fear the Walking Dead</em>), the 10-episode project follows Vicki Ellis, the most renowned and ruthless pageant coach in the state of Oklahoma. She is desperately sought after by young women competing to be Miss America because she can turn any girl into a winner. But when Vicki gets paired with the beautiful but unpolished Samantha Stone, her entire reputation might be at stake.  

<em>Queen America</em> is the first straight-to-series order for wiip, the studio launched by former ABC ...