EXCLUSIVE: Julia Schlaepfer (1923, The Politician) has been cast alongside Ray Romano, Joshua Jackson and Kaley Cuoco in the HBO Max pilot How To Survive Without Me. The one-hour drama comes from Greg Berlanti, Bash Doran and Warner Bros TV.
Written by Berlanti and Doran from a story the duo co-wrote with Robbie Rogers, How To Survive Without Me is set in the wake of matriarch Beverly’s passing. The De Angelis family has begun to drift, unsure how to manage their complicated, evolving lives without her guidance, but in true Beverly fashion, she found a way to keep running the show from the beyond.
Should they wish to experience Beverly’s final work, the family must find the time — and make the effort — to remain connected, and be there for each other through all of life’s challenges yet to come.
Schlaepfer will play Liz, a gorgeous mess who inherited her mother’s gift for storytelling, but not her discipline. Liz possesses both vulnerability and strength, but her struggles with self-worth as well as a penchant for chaos cause her to make questionable choices about her life.
Romano plays the patriarch of the family, Leo, newly a widower and suddenly performing the lead role of parent that he never auditioned for. Jackson plays Cooper, the sibling of Liz and Cuoco’s character Kate, the eldest daughter who inherited her mother’s perfectionism, elegance, and organizational prowess.
Berlanti and Doran executive produce with Sarah Schechter and Leigh London Redman. Rogers also executive produces via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with WBTV. Warner Bros Television is the studio. Daniel Minahan will direct the pilot.
Schlaepfer is repped by Gersh
