With Jeff Daniels in place to play the self-centered yet surely principled pundit in Aaron Sorkin’s cable news drama for HBO (now tentatively titled More As This Story Develops), the attention turns toward finding the brassy, effortlessly brilliant females with whom he can banter quippily and burden with his lengthy monologues on why Americans are too dumb for the facts or whatever. Marisa Tomei has been rumored for weeks to take the lead role of the female producer whose personal life comes a distant last to her professional responsibilities—a Sorkin archetype, as seen in Felicity Huffman’s character on Sports Night and again with Amanda Peet on Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip—and now Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, In Treatment) is reportedly in talks to play her young associate producer, whom she will most likely school in the harsh realities of being a female in a male-dominated world.
Also in negotiations is Olivia Munn, recently freed from Perfect Couples, to do a spin on her The Daily Show persona as the “sexy financial analyst” who shares a network with Daniels, and most likely says everything with a slightly cruel edge and perhaps just a tiny bit louder than she needs to. No word yet on the male character with whom Daniels’ anchor will have some much-needed bonding scenes where he finally let down his guard.