Debra Messing Signs On For CBS Pilot


Actress Debra Messing has signed for an upcoming pilot being developed by CBS.

The series is being spearheaded by writers and executive producers Julie Rottenberg and Elisa Zuritsky. CBS Television Studios will back the project.

The pilot finds Debra Messing tackling the role of Shira, a woman who is trying her best to find a happy medium between work and home.

Messing’s character is “a happily married but harried mother struggling to balance family, life and work. Between her job as a ghost writer for a demanding celebrity chef and having three children — ranging in age from preschool to 7 — she feels like the world’s worst mother because of her tendency to cut corners.”

The actress’ decision to sign on for the CBS pilot means that her stint on NBC’s series Smash could be coming to an end. The series has suffered low ratings as of late, prompting the network to push the show into its Saturday evening line-up.

Debra Messing may have to be replaced should the pilot become a series. NBC reportedly has first dibs on the actress if they decide to move forward with another season of Smash. The show’s fate is currently unknown.

Smash showrunner Josh Safran said that he was surprised that NBC decided to move the musical drama to Saturday nights.

He explained to TVLine:

“I didn’t see it coming, being relegated to Saturday. We’re all aware the show is not successful, but I guess I had hoped we would see what happened when ‘The Voice’ came back [or] maybe they’d move us to a better time slot. But I understand from the network’s point of view. We hit a number and we stuck there.”

Nothing official has been announced about the next season of Smash. However, many feel that the show’s move to Saturday night is essentially a nail in its coffin.

Are you a fan of Debra Messing? What do you think about the pilot she’s attached to at CBS?

[Top Image via Miro Vrlik Photography / Shutterstock.com]

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