Jane Fonda to Headline Her First TV Sitcom Now What?; Scott Ellis to Direct and Produce

Academy Award winner Jane Fonda has been tapped to star in Now What?, a new comedy currently in development at ABC for the 2013-2014 season, reports Variety. Tony and Emmy-nominated director Scott Ellis will produce and direct.

The single-camera half-hour sitcom follows a mother (Fonda) who moves in with her daughter after the latter posts a harsh public criticism of her mother in a blog post titled “Dear Mom, Here’s Why I Hate You…” Fonda’s character refuses to leave until both women can sort out their differences.

Now What? will be Fonda’s first starring role on television, although the actress recently completed a high-profile guest stint on HBO’s The Newsroom. The two-time Tony nominee (There Was a Little Girl, 33 Variations) can also be seen in the upcoming star-studded epic The Butler as Nancy Reagan. Fonda’s extensive film resume includes The Morning After, On Golden Pond, The China Syndrome, Julia, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? and her two Oscar-winning films, Coming Home and Klute.

Ellis will helm and co-produce the pilot along with Mike Tollin and Ben Spector. The script comes on spec from Pushing Daisies scribe Abby Gewanter.