WarnerMedia’s upcoming HBO Max streaming platform has given a pilot order to Delilah, a half-hour comedy starring Jessica Rothe (La La Land), from Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment and Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford’s Merman.

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Horgan Shutterstock

Bea Shutterstock

Delilah originated as a script Aisling Bea and Horgan (Dead Boss) wrote for Channel 4 in the UK. The project did not go forward there but the script was subsequently identified by Kapital for potential U.S. adaptation.

Kirker Butler (Family Guy) was brought in to rewrite the project for the U.S.. Butler has a long relationship with Kaplan dating back to the writer being represented by Kaplan at WMA. (Horgan also is a former client of Kaplan.) Butler has worked on multiple Kapital series, including The Neighbors and Life In Pieces.

Butler

Rothe was approached about starring in the comedy, which landed at HBO Max in a competitive situation.

In Delilah, after a life-changing event, Delilah’s (Rothe) first step toward putting her life back together is to introduce herself to a complete stranger who may or may not be her real father, and his family. The only question is: how much damage can one person do while trying to get their own life back on track? The answer is, quite a bit.

Kapital is the studio. Butler executive produces alongside Merman’s Sharon Horgan and Clelia Mountford, Kapital’s Kaplan and Dana Honor as well as Rothe and Bea.

Horgan and Kaplan, whose Merman and Kapital Entertainment have a joint venture, are frequent creative partners who have collaborated on a number of projects including pilots Pulling, Bad Mom and Bad Management at ABC; Dead Boss at Fox; and Divorce at HBO, which went to series. They currently have animated presentation Therapy Dog at Fox and horror comedy Shining Vale from Trial & Error co-creator Jeff Astrof.

Butler is repped by Jackoway Austen Tyerman. Rothe is repped by WME, Authentic Talent and Literary Management and Hansen Jacobson. Horgan is with UK’s United Agents and Nelson Davis. Bea is with UK’s Independent Talent Group.

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