Don Cheadle moves into Showtime's 'House of Lies'

Half-hour comedy comes from the creator of 'Dirt'

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Dec 13, 2010 5:50 PM

Don Cheadle

Credit: Matt Sayles/AP

Showtime has landed Don Cheadle to play the lead in "House of Lies," a half-hour comedy pilot.

Based on Martin Kihn's book "House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time," the pilot will star Cheadle as a self-loathing management consultant willing to do anything to get information for his clients.

Do we smell a self-loathing companion piece for "Californication"? Showtime does, with the premium cable network landing "Californication" helmer Stephen Hopkins to direct the Matthew Carnahan-created pilot.

"Don Cheadle is one of the great dramatic actors of our generation," states Showtime Entertainment President David Nevins. "He also happens to be an extremely funny man. 'House of Lies' is the perfect show to take advantage of both sides of him. Honestly, I would have been happy just to get his autograph."

Although he's best known for his Oscar nominated work in "Hotel Rwanda" and hit films like "Iron Man" and "Crash," Cheadle has four Emmy nominations for work on "E.R." and in the telefilms "Things Behind the Sun," "A Lesson Before Dying" and "The Rat Pack." Cheadle was also a regular on "Picket Fences" and, of course, the "Golden Girls" spin-off "The Golden Palace."

The "House of Lies" pilot will shoot in February in Los Angeles.

Showtime has also been revving up development on the drama pilot "Homeland," featuring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin.

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Daniel Fienberg
Executive Editor

A long-time member of the TCA Board and a longer-time blogger of "American Idol," Dan Fienberg writes about TV, except for when he writes about movies or sometimes writes about the Red Sox. But never music. He would sound stupid talking about music.

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I can't wait to find out who will be in "Homeland's" second season, after Patinkin decides he hates TV again!
December 13, 2010 at 7:04PM EST Reply to Comment
- I just realized I inadvertently copied the spirit of your joke on Twitter. I swear, I came here via Facebook and wasn't style-biting!
  December 14, 2010 at 1:41PM EST
cletus van damme

Another promising showtime dramedy with a great actor that I will almost surely love and that will be overlooked by awards and critics because most critcs don't seem to "get" the concept of half hour dramedies.

I can hear it already.
"Why should that win as best comedy? It has a smaller laugh per minute ratio as Boardwalk Empire."
December 13, 2010 at 8:27PM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Cletus - When you refer to the half-hour dramedies being ignored by critics and awards, are you referring to shows like multiple Emmy winners "United States of Tara" and "Nurse Jackie" and multiple Golden Globe nominee "Hung"?
  
  -Daniel
  December 13, 2010 at 9:29PM EST
- cletus van damme Yes, some of the actors were recognized (but not nearly enough...Mary Louise Parker for example should be nominated over gals like Tina Fey or Lea Michelle every year. It' called best actress not funniest atress or best voice), but if I remember correctly no half hour dramedy ever won an emmy or globe as best comedy.
  December 14, 2010 at 11:58AM EST