SundanceTV has announced that Oscar nominee Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God), Emmy nominee Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Friday Night Lights alum Zach Gilford, and Dirty Dancing actor Colt Prattes have all joined This Close, a dramedy that’s been ordered straight-to-series by Sundance’s VOD service Sundance Now.
Jan Diedrichsen, General Manager of SundanceTV and Sundance Now, said: “When Sundance Now made the decision this past spring to forge into originals, we had two goals in mind. The first was to extend the Sundance legacy by uncovering storytellers and auteurs who had a distinctive vision. The second was to find talent that would truly connect with our engaged audience on Sundance Now. With This Close, we’ve completely hit the mark on both fronts. We knew we had something special when we discovered Shoshannah and Josh’s work at the Sundance Film Festival. They are masterful storytellers and terrific actors, and this narrative, both charming and relatable, is the perfect fit for our service.”
From Shoshannah Stern (Weeds) and Josh Feldman (The Chances), This Close focuses on the complex friendship between newly engaged Kate (Stern) and Michael (Feldman), who is attempting to move on from his relationship with his ex-fiance. Matlin is set as Michael’s recovering alcoholic mother Annie, who’s trying to reconnect with her son after years of a troubled relationship; Hines will be playing Kate’s boss Stella, a stylish and sophisticated PR Maven; Gilford will be seen as Kate’s fiance Danny; and Prattes portray Michael’s ex-fiance Ryan.
Matlin’s television credits include The Magicians, Switched at Birth, and The L Word, while Hines has appeared on Son of Zorn, Suburgatory, and Young & Hungry; Gilford has been seen on Kingdom, The Family, and The Mob Doctor; and Prattes has been featured in an episode of Mercy and web series Wiener & Wiener.
Part of a slate of originals that includes upcoming comedy Back, This Close is set to premiere on Sundance Now in early 2018.
