Jessie T. Usher (above left) has landed the role of Cam Calloway in Starz’s half-hour scripted comedy series Survivors’ Remorse – about a a basketball phenom who signs a huge contract with a professional team in Atlanta and has to deal with all the good and bad that comes with sudden, high-profile success.
Ronreaco Lee (center left) will play Cam’s best friend and confidant, Reggie Vaughn; Erica Ash is M-Chuck, Cam’s sister; and Tichina Arnold above right) plays Cam’s mother, Cassie. They join previously cast Teyonah Parris (center right), who nabbed the role of Reggie’s wife, Missy.
Survivor’s Remorse comes from the team of Le
Bron James, Tom Werner, Mike O’Malley, Maverick Carter and Paul Wachter. For more details, check out the press release after the jump.
STARZ CASTS LEADS OF NEW ORIGINAL SERIES “SURVIVOR’S REMORSE”
Half-Hour Comedy to Star Jessie T. Usher, Ronreaco Lee, Erica Ash, Tichina Arnold and Teyonah Parris
Beverly Hills, Calif. – March 27, 2014– STARZ has cast several roles for the upcoming half-hour scripted comedy series “Survivor’s Remorse” from LeBron James, Tom Werner, Mike O’Malley, Maverick Carter and Paul Wachter. The network announced today that Jessie T. Usher (“Level Up”) has been cast in the role of Cam Calloway, Ronreaco Lee (Glory, Let’s Stay Together) has been cast as Reggie Vaughn, Erica Ash (Scary Movie 5, “The Real Husbands of Hollywood”) has been cast as M-Chuck, the sister of Cam Calloway, Tichina Arnold (“Martin,” “Everybody Hates Chris”) has been cast as Cassie, Cam’s mother. They join Teyonah Parris (“Mad Men,” They Came Together) who was cast as Reggie’s wife Missy.
“Survivor’s Remorse” is set in the world of professional basketball and explores the comedy and drama of an experience that everyone reads about, but few understand – what truly happens when you make it out. The series will shoot in Atlanta, Georgia and debut its six-episode first season in the fall of 2014 on STARZ.
The story follows Cam Calloway, a basketball phenom in his early 20’s who is suddenly thrust into the limelight after signing a multi-million dollar contract with a professional basketball team in Atlanta. Cam, along with his cousin and confidant Reggie Vaughn, move to Georgia to start Cam’s journey to success. The two confront the challenges of carrying opportunistic family members and their strong ties to the impoverished community that they come from. Cam, Reggie and an unforgettable group of characters wrestle with the rewards and pitfalls of stardom, love and loyalty.
Jessie T. Usher starred in the Cartoon Network’s “Level Up.” This film subsequently became television series, in which Jessie reprised his role throughout the show’s two seasons. Jessie will play the high school football player Tayshon Lanear in the feature When the Game Stands Tall starring Jim Caviezel, Michael Chiklis and Laura Dern. He has appeared in several television series include “Lincoln Heights,” “Numbers,” “The Mentalist” and “Criminal Minds.” He is represented by Paradigm and Williams Unlimited.
A Decatur, Illinois native, Ronreaco began his career with a small role in the award-winning film, Glory, with Denzel Washington. Later, he went on to star in Guess Who? opposite Bernie Mac and Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail opposite Viola Davis. He was a series regular on ABC’s "In the Motherhood," and recurred regularly on FOX’s "The Good Guys." Most recently, he starred in the original comedy series, "Let’s Stay Together" on BET. He is represented by APA , Principato-Young Entertainment and Stone, Meyer and Genow.
Erica Ash will appear the FX pilot "Death Pact" opposite Tracy Morgan. She was a series regular on "MADtv" and currently recurs as Kevin Hart’s ex-wife on BET’s "The Real Husbands of Hollywood." She has starred Scary Movie 5 and will appear in The Weinstein Company thriller Kristy. Erica also originated the role of Nina Simone in the off-Broadway production "The Soul Doctor" and starred in "Baby It’s You" on Broadway. She is represented by DBA and Principato-Young Entertainment.
Tichina Arnold is a two time NAACP Image Award winning actress for her roles in “Martin” and “Everybody Hates Chris.” She starred along with Fran Drescher in the series “Happily Divorced” and has appeared in several series including: “Ryan’s Hope,” “All My Children,” “The Cosby Show,” “Law & Order,” “The Norm Show,” “One on One,” “Brothers" "Raising Hope," "Let’s Stay Together” and “Hit the Floor." Her animation credits include “American Dad” and “The Boondocks.” In film, she has starred in Big Momma’s House with Martin Lawrence, Wild Hogs with John Travolta, Civil Brand, Dancing in September, Scenes from a Mall and Little Shop of Horrors. She is represented by APA and managed by Zenay R. Arnold.
Teyonah Parris, known for her role as ‘Dawn Chambers,’ Don Draper’s secretary in “Mad Men,” can also be seen in the upcoming films They Came Together with Amy Poehler and Dear White People, both which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Her other credits include How do You Know with Reese Witherspoon and “The Good Wife.” Teyonah is represented by APA and Vanguard Management.
Mike O’Malley, consulting producer and writer on “Shameless” and Emmy®-nominated actor for his role on “Glee,” will serve as executive producer and writer for “Survivor’s Remorse.” LeBron James will serve as an Executive Producer along with Tom Werner, currently Chairman of the Boston Red Sox. James, a nine-time NBA All-Star and Olympic Gold medalist, recently led the Miami Heat to a second straight NBA Championship win and captured his fourth straight MVP trophy. As co-founder of The Carsey-Werner Company, Werner has produced some of the best half-hour comedies in television, including “The Cosby Show,” “Roseanne,” “3rd Rock from the Sun,” and “That ‘70s Show.” Werner’s shows have garnered 24 Emmy Awards, and 18 NAACP Image Awards.
LeBron James’s longtime friend and manager Maverick Carter, founder of the management firm, LRMR, and executive producer on the documentary More Than A Game, and on the upcoming film Ballers, starring Kevin Hart will serve as an executive producer. Paul Wachter, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Main Street Advisors, one of the most important and influential investment advisory firms in Los Angeles will also executive produce.
Starz will retain all domestic and international multiplatform rights including television, home entertainment, and digital.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of December 31, 2013, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 57.1 million subscribers, including 22.2 million at STARZ, and 34.9 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.
Photos of Jessie T. Usher, Ronreaco Lee, Teyonah Parris and Tichina Arnold courtesy of Starz Entertainment