“The Simpsons” star Yeardley Smith, who voices Lisa Simpson on Fox’s long-running animated series, is currently shopping a half-hour comedy series titled “The Import,” TheWrap has learned.
Black List scribes Evan Mirzai and Shea Mirzai have been hired to write the script, which is based on an original idea by actor Jonny Pasvolsky (“Mortdecai”).
The logline is currently being kept under wraps, but insiders describe the project as a multi-generational, multicultural series centered on immigration and the current green-card system.
Smith and her producing partner Ben Cornwell will produce the series under their PaperClip banner along with the Mirzai twins.
Emmy winner Smith is represented by Pakula/King & Associates and attorney David Weber.
The Mirzai brothers made their debut on the Black List in 2012 with the romantic comedy script “Doppelgängers” and returned the following year with the action-comedy “Diablo Run,” which has Michael Tiddes (“A Haunted House”) attached to direct.
The duo most recently appeared on the 2015 Black List with the action-comedy “Our Week With Waller” that followed up their 2014 selection “Beauty Pageant.” They also wrote the R-rated high school comedy “Ultra” for Sony Pictures and Will Smith‘s Overbrook Entertainment. They’re represented by Paradigm, Principato-Young Entertainment and SMGSB.
Born in South African and raised in Australia, Pasvolsky drew upon his own experiences for the project, which will be pitched to 20th Century Fox TV tomorrow. Already a TV star in Australia, he’s represented by Paradigm and LINK Entertainment.