Philip Seymour Hoffman is heading to Showtime.
The Oscar winner (Capote) will star in and executive produce the premium cable network's comedy pilot Trending Down, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Showtime is expected to make the announcement Tuesday during its presentation at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour in Beverly Hills.
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Additionally, an announcement naming Kathryn Hahn (Revolutionary Road, Parks and Recreation) as the comedy's female lead will likely come next week.
Trending Down is described as a blistering attack on our youth-obsessed culture and a darkly comic examination of what it means to matter. Or matter not. Acclaimed author and This American Life contributor Shalom Auslander created the comedy and will write and executive produce alongside Hoffman. Emily Ziff, Hoffman's producing partner, will also executive produce under their Cooper's Town Productions banner. The comedy was developed by Ken Kwapis, who will executive produce, and Alexandra Beattie, who will co-exec produce under their In Cahoots shingle.
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Trending Down marks the third pilot pickup at Showtime this year. It is the first comedy -- joining dramas The Vatican and The Affair. The project joins the previously announced Penny Dreadful series at the network, which recently renewed freshman drama Ray Donovan and will launch rookie drama Masters of Sex in September alongside Homeland's return.
Hoffman will play the lead role as Thom Payne, a man facing his own obsolescence after his advertising agency is taken over. Hahn will play Lee Payne, his wife.
Hoffman is a four time Oscar nominee, winning in 2006 for his role in Capote. He earned a supporting actor Emmy nomination in 2005 for his role in HBO's Empire Falls. Trending Down will mark his first series regular gig. He's repped by the law firm of Greenberg Glusker.
E-mail:Â Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
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