John Goodman and Danny McBride to Star in New HBO Comedy Pilot THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES

According to Variety, HBO has given a pilot order to a half-hour comedy that hails from creator Danny McBride.

The project is titled "The Righteous Gemstones." It is the story of the world famous Gemstone televangelist family, which has a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

John Goodman will star as Eli Gemstone, the patriarch of the Gemstone family. The character is described as unbending and a force in the Ministry game. He's known the world over for his aggressive SALVATION techniques, his worldwide ministries, and his award winning weekly television program. His light is fading, but he takes no guff. He is obeyed, unquestioned.

Goodman is best known for playing Dan Conner on the ABC TV series ROSEANNE (1988-1997; 2018), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 1993. He is also a regular collaborator with the Coen brothers on such films as Raising Arizona (1987), Barton Fink (1991), The Big Lebowski (1998), O Brother, Where Art Thou?(2000), and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). Goodman's voice roles in animated films include Rex in Steven Spielberg's We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, Pacha in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove (2000), and Sulleyin Pixar's Monsters, Inc. (2001), and Monsters University (2013).

His other film performances include lead roles in Always (1989), The Babe (1992), The Flintstones (1994) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and supporting roles in Coyote Ugly (2000), The Artist (2011), Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011), Argo (2012), Flight (2012), The Hangover Part III (2013), and Patriots Day (2016). On television, he has had regular roles on Amazon Studios' ALPHA HOUSE and on the first season of HBO's Tremeand has been one of the most frequent hosts of Saturday Night Live, as well as playing guest roles on series such as Community. John Heilpern of Vanity Fair has called him "among our very finest actors".

Danny McBride starred in the HBO television series Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals, both of which he co-created with frequent collaborator Jody Hill. He has also starred in films, such as The Foot Fist Way (2006), Pineapple Express(2008), Up in the Air (2009), Your Highness (2011), This Is the End (2013), and Alien: Covenant (2017).

Photo Credit: Walter McBride

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