Chuck Lorre has found his new leading lady.
The Young Sheldon, Mom and The Kominsky Method writer-producer has tapped Annaleigh Ashford to star in one of his two CBS comedy pilots, B Positive.
The multicamera effort revolves around Drew, a newly divorced dad who is faced with finding a kidney donor and, when at the end of his rope, runs into Gina, a rough-around-the edges woman from his past who volunteers her own. Together they form an unlikely bond and begin a journey that will change both of their lives.
Ashford will star as Gina, the working-class woman who is larger than life in every sense — most importantly, her heart. She lives in her mother’s basement, drives a senior citizen van for a living and makes rash decisions — including giving Drew one of her kidneys.
Marco Pennette (who works with Lorre and CBS on the comedy Mom) will pen the script and executive produce alongside Lorre. B Positive hails from Warner Bros. TV, where Lorre's company has a rich overall deal. B Positive is one of two multicamera pilots Lorre has in the works this season, joining United States of Al.
Masters of Sex alum Ashford will film B Positive concurrently with Ryan Murphy's FX anthology American Crime Story: Impeachment, in which she will star opposite Beanie Feldstein and Sarah Paulson and portray Paula Jones. Upon wrapping B Positive and Impeachment, the Tony winner will segue to the London production of Sunday in the Park With George, opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. Ashford, whose credits include American Crime Story: Versace, is repped by ICM Partners, Beth Rosner Management and Schreck Rose.
Keep track of all of this season's pilot orders, castings and eventual series orders with The Hollywood Reporter's handy guide.
