Candice Bergen will play Robin Williams’ wife in “A Friggin Christmas Miracle,” an upcoming comedy about a dysfunctional family during Christmas time, Tom Rice of Sycamore Pictures, which is financing and producing the film, told TheWrap. Bergen’s character Donna Mitchler is the Wisconsin matriarch of said family.
Phil Johnston’s script follows Boyd (Joel McHale), Donna’s son, who forgets his son’s presents at home. To save Christmas, he ventures out on the road with his father Mitch (Williams) and brother Nelson (Clark Duke).
Duke just joined the cast this week, and his character speaks fluent Farsi despite having suffered brain damage after falling off a truck in basic training.
Wendi McLendon-Covey plays Boyd and Nelson’s sister Shauna while Tim Heidecker will play her trucker husband.
Tristram Shapeero is directing and the Russo Brothers, who are about to direct the “Captain America” sequel, are producing with Rice.
Bergen, a five-time Emmy winner and recipient of two Golden Globes, last appeared on the big screen in Galt Niederhoffer’s 2010 “The Romantics” and 2009 romantic comedy “Bride Wars.”
Best known as the lead in hit TV series “Murphy Brown,” her most famous film performances came in “Gandhi,” “The Wind and the Lion” and "Starting Over,” for which she earned and Oscar nomination.
Production of "A Friggin' Christmas Miracle" is just getting under way in Atlanta.
