Shiri to Star in USA Pilot
USA NETWORK GREENLIGHTS TWO CAST-CONTINGENT PILOTS:”TO LOVE AND DIE IN L.A.” STARRING SHIRI APPLEBY AND “BURN NOTICE” STARRING JEFFREY DONOVAN
NBC Press Release
LOS ANGELES, CA – October 6, 2006 – USA Network has announced casting on two cast-contingent pilots, the ninety-minute TO LOVE AND DIE IN L.A. with Shiri Appleby (“Six Degrees,” “Swimfan”) and the one-hour BURN NOTICE with Jeffrey Donovan (“Touching Evil,” “Monk”). Sara Goodman is the creator and co-executive producer of TO LOVE AND DIE IN L.A. with JoAnn Alfano and David Kanter as executive producers and Andrew Singer as producer. The project is from Lorne Michaels Broadway Video Television in association with NBC Universal Television Studio. BURN NOTICE is executive produced by Mikkel Bondesen (“Cock & Bull,” Catch That Kid”) and written and co-executive produced by Matt Nix (“Cock & Bull”) with Fox Television Studios and Fuse Entertainment producing. The announcement was made by Jackie de Crinis, senior vice president of original scripted series programming for USA.
TO LOVE AND DIE IN L.A. is about a young woman (Appleby) with abandonment issues who is convinced that her dating problems will be resolved if she can track down the father she never knew. When she finds him and discovers that he’s a contract killer, her relationship issues begin to make sense and she realizes she may have found a new career path.
Shiri Appleby began her acting career at the young age of four. After appearing in various national commercials she earned her first television job in daytime appearing on “Santa Barbara.” Next came roles on “thirtysomething,” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” “7th Heaven” and “City Guys” among others. Soon after, Appleby landed the role of Liz Parker on “Roswell” and can currently be seen on the series “Six Degrees.” She has also been seen in numerous films including “Swimfan,” “The Other Sister” and “What Love Is” and will next be seen in “Charlie Wilson’s War” written by Aaron Sorkin and produced by Tom Hanks.
When spies get fired, they don’t get a letter from human resources. While on assignment, Michael Weston (Donovan) gets a BURN NOTICE and becomes untouchable. Having no idea what or who triggered his demise, he is determined to find out the reason for his sudden termination. Unable to utilize his normal contacts and needing to stay under the spy network radar, he puts his Special Ops training to use to help those who the police can’t or won’t, in order to fund his ongoing personal investigation.
Jeffrey Donovan has appeared on screen in numerous television and film projects. His television credits include guest-starring roles on USA’s “Monk,” “Yes, Dear,” “Crossing Jordan,” “CSI: Miami,” “Law & Order,” “Threshold” and the HBO original picture “When Trumpets Fade” among others. Donovan also starred in the USA original series “Touching Evil” and has had recurring roles on “Spin City,” “The Beat” and “The Pretender.” Donovan’s film credits include “Hitch,” “Purpose,” ” Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,” “Bait” and Barry Levinson’s “Sleepers.” He made his feature film debut in “Throwing Down,” which won the grand prize Best Feature Film Award at the Hampton’s International Film Festival and later appeared in the indie film “Sam and Joe” (winner Best Supporting Actor LA Method Fest). Donovan also appeared on Broadway as “Marco” in the Roundabout Theatre’s Tony Award winning revival of “A View From The Bridge,” directed by Michael Mayer and starring Anthony LaPaglia and Allison Janney, and in the Tony Award winning production of “An Inspector Calls.” Donovan’s off-Broadway credits include the hit comedy “Things You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight,” “The Glory Of Living” directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Troilus and Cressida,” and the Pulitzer Prize runner-up “Freedomland.” Born and raised in Massachusetts, Donovan attended the University of Massachusetts and graduated from New York University’s Graduate Acting Program where he received his MFA. Donovan currently resides in Los Angeles. This year, he will also appear in the feature film “Come Early Morning,” written and directed by Joey Lauren Adams, which premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival.
Seen in 90 million homes, USA Network is cable television’s leading network of original series and feature movies, sports and entertainment events, network shows and blockbuster theatrical films. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
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