NBC has found its boy.
1600 Penn's Benjamin Stockham has landed the key role of Marcus in the network's adaptation of About a Boy, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively.
STORY: TV Pilots 2013: The Complete Guide
Parenthood's Jason Katims will pen the pilot adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel and the film. The Universal Television single-camera comedy follows the relationship between a bachelor man-child named Will (New Girl's David Walton) and the young boy named Marcus who moves in next-door with his crazy, single mother, Fiona (Good Will Hunting's Minnie Driver).
Stockham, who plays Xander Gilchrist -- the young son of the president -- on NBC's freshman comedy 1600 Penn, will play Marcus. (Nicholas Hoult played the role in the 2002 Hugh Grant feature.)
PHOTOS: The Faces of Pilot Season 2013
The About a Boy casting is in second position to 1600 Penn, which has struggled out of the gate for NBC. Airing against repeat competition on Thursday last week, 20th TV-produced 1600 Penn notched a 0.9 in the key adults 18-49 demographic -- a series low.
Stockham most recently guest starred on ABC's Once Upon a Time and previously starred on Sons of Tucson. He's repped by Paradigm, Strong Management and Morris Yorn.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit
