Abby Elliott cast in sitcom pilot; may leave "Saturday Night Live"

[BillBrasky]

From Deadline:

"Saturday Night Live" star Abby Elliott may be heading to primetime. Elliott is poised to play the lead in the FOX sitcom pilot "Ben Fox Is My Manny". The single-camera comedy centers on an uptight single mother (Elliott) whose aimless brother moves in to help raise her daughter (Maggie Jones). The new gig won’t interfere with Elliott’s duties on SNL this season — she will film the pilot during the late-night show’s spring hiatus. If "Ben Fox" goes to series, Elliott will leave SNL. If not, she is expected to continue on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series, which she joined in 2008 as a featured player. This marks Elliott’s first major TV gig outside of SNL, where she is probably best known for her memorable impersonations including Angelina Jolie, Anna Faris, Rachel Maddow, Khloe Kardashian, Zooey Deschanel and Brittany Murphy.

[BillBrasky]

I don't recall Lorne ever letting people do sitcom pilots before while they were still on SNL. This kind of makes it seem like she is ready to leave the show, which would be fine with me. I think there needs to be a major cast shakeup at SNL anyway; I wouldn't mind if they let everybody go at this point besides Bill, Taran, Vanessa, and maybe Jay and Bobby.

[Grahamed]

Wait, keep Jay and lose Nasim? Wha? That's crazy talk.

[BillBrasky]

I really don't think they HAVE to keep Jay, if they can find someone who can do Obama better he is easily losable. I'm sure they will keep both Nasim and Vanessa if Kristen leaves, but really, I am not so enamored with Nasim and I feel like she hasn't done much this season that would necessitate her staying on the show. They definitely need to start looking for a few new female cast members at this point.

It would be really interesting if there was a big cast exodus and a majority of the cast left after this season. That hasn't really happened since the '95-'96 season. I think the last time they hired someone new into the cast directly as a full cast member instead of making them spend 2 seasons as a featured player was Tracy Morgan. If Kenan, Fred, Kristen, and Jason all leave at the end of this season, that will probably have to change.

[pollymaepry]

let's call this what it is. you wanting to google image search abby elliott and talk about snl more.

[mueXog]

Lucy Punch (crazy stalker girlfriend in "Dinner for Schmucks") has just been added to this pilot

[Grahamed]

"let's call this what it is. you wanting to google image search abby elliott and talk about snl more."

I have no problem with either of those activities

[isoS]

The only Fox show I want to see starring Abby Elliot is "Get a Life: The Next Generation."

[suavepebble]

ISOS IS CORRECT. She could be Chris' daughter spawned from that horny redhead with the boobs who makes Chris crash his bike into that car!! Holy shit... how is this not a bankable sitcom idea????

We have to make this happen, guys...

[mueXog]

Nat Faxon was just cast as the male lead

[BillBrasky]

From Deadline:

EXCLUSIVE: Abby Elliott has departed Fox’s comedy pilot Ned Fox Is My Manny. The Saturday Night Live co-star had been cast as the lead in the single-camera comedy but was released after the pilot’s table read yesterday as it was determined that she wasn’t the right fit for the role. Search is under way for another actress to play the part of an uptight single mother whose aimless brother (Nat Faxon) moves in to help raise her daughter (Maggie Jones). Before Ned Fox, Elliott had not done any other major TV gigs outside of SNL. She is now expected to continue on the NBC late-night sketch comedy series where her memorable impersonations including Angelina Jolie, Anna Faris, Rachel Maddow, Khloe Kardashian, Zooey Deschanel and Brittany Murphy.