Jamie Foxx could be returning to TV, with Showtime giving a pilot order to “White Famous” from Foxx and “Californication” creator Tom Kapinos, the network announced Wednesday.
The project, based on an idea by Foxx and written by Kapinos, will focus on a talented, young African-American comedian whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to crossover toward becoming “white famous.”
Foxx will executive produce and guest star in a recurring role on the half-hour comedy, with Kapinos also serving as an executive producer. The pilot is a co-production between Showtime and Lionsgate Television.
“I came up from standup comedy, so to be able to share that aspect of my life on screen with a project like ‘White Famous’ is incredibly exciting,” Foxx said. “We couldn’t have found better partners than Showtime, Lionsgate and Tom Kapinos to tell this story in the best possible way.”
Foxx started out doing stand up and appearing in comedies but found significant success in drama, as well. He won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ray Charles in “Ray” and received widespread acclaim for his role opposite Tom Cruise in “Collateral.”
Kapinos began his career in television as a writer for the teen drama “Dawson’s Creek.” He created the hit Showtime series “Californication,” which ran for seven seasons. He most recently developed and executive produced the Fox series “Lucifer.”