Joshua Jackson has been tapped to star in HBO Max’s family drama pilot “How to Survive Without Me” with Ray Romano.
In his first TV role since Ryan Murphy’s “Doctor Odyssey,” Jackson will play Cooper, a chef about to open a members only dining club in Los Angeles as he carries forward his mother’s recipes and approach to food.
Cooper “presents as confident and a player, but he’s suffering in silence — keeping a secret that could destroy both his lifelong friendships and the culinary career he’s built in is mother’s honor,” per the character description.
News of Jackson’s casting came just a day after Romano was added to the pilot, which hails from Greg Berlanti, Bash Doran and Robbie Rogers. Romano will play a recent widower, struggling to navigate single parenthood with his five adult children.
The official logline for the series is as follows: “In the wake of matriarch Beverly’s passing, the De Angelis family have begun to drift, unsure how to manage their complicated, evolving lives without her guidance, but in true Beverly fashion, she found a way to keep running the show from the beyond. Should they wish to experience Beverly’s final work, the family must find the time — and make the effort — to remain connected, and be there for each other through all of life’s challenges yet to come.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Joshua, who joins Ray Romano in the cast of ‘How to Survive Without Me,’” head of Max original programming Sarah Aubrey said. “It’s especially exciting to see him reunite with creator Greg Berlanti on this intimate, family-driven story. We can’t wait to peel back the layers of these dynamic, raw, and complex characters.”
“Joshua is a tremendously talented performer who approaches each role with care and range, and we’re delighted to have him join Ray, Greg, and Bash on ‘How to Survive Without Me,’” Warner Bros. TV Creative Affairs President Clancy Collins White said. “His presence will beautifully balance the show’s emotional depth with uplifting, heartfelt moments that characterize what it means to be a family. It’s also a joy to see Greg and Joshua continue their creative collaboration on this deeply personal story.”
Hailing from Warner Bros. Television, the one-hour drama pilot is executive produced by Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman and Robbie Rogers via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with Warner Bros. TV.
Best known for starring as Pacey on “Dawson’s Creek,” Jackson has appeared in “When They See Us,” “Dr. Death,” “Little Fires Everywhere,” “Fatal Attraction” and “Karate Kid: Legends.” He’s also been collaborating with “Dawson’s Creek” alum Katie Holmes for her feature film trilogy “Happy Hours.”
Jackson is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox and ImPRint.
