Freeform has changed the title of their upcoming comedy series Besties to Unrelated. The series, starring Jordin Sparks and Gigi Zumbado has began production with actor and director Michael McDonald (MADtv, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) directing the first episode. Created by Ranada Shepard, Casey Johnson and David Windsor and…

ABC has put in development a drama project executive produced by Salma Hayek and Michael McDonald (American Crime) through ABC Studios. Written by Diego Gutierrez (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series), the untitled project is described as a soapy ensemble drama about the heirs to a wealthy Mexican conglomerate, who are in…

Since its debut in March, ABC’s American Crime has helped break the mold of broadcast TV’s crime dramas. The topical show, tackling issues surrounding race, religion, and a flawed judicial system, is a parallel to the current state of affairs in America and spotlights the reactions of the human condition when faced…

EXCLUSIVE: Michael McDonald, SVP of Drama Development at ABC Studios, has launched his own production company, Stearns Castle, which will be based at the studio. He will be succeeded in running ABC Studios’ drama department by VP drama development Nne Ebong, who is being elevated to SVP, reporting to ABC Studios EVP…

Michael McDonald, a standout performer for a decade on the Fox series Mad TV, has joined the cast of the 20th Century Fox Paul Feig-directed buddy comedy The Heat, which stars Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. He will play a villain. Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Dylan Clark are producing. This comes after…

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy-winning helmer Stephen Hopkins has been tapped to direct NBC’s futuristic drama pilot Beautiful People. The project, written by Cougar Town co-executive producer/director/actor Michael McDonald, is set in the near future in a society where humans co-exist with mechanical androids that look like…

EXCLUSIVE: NBC has given a pilot order to Beautiful People, a character-driven futuristic drama spec by Cougar Town co-executive producer/director (and occasional actor) Michael McDonald. ABC Studios and Universal TV are producing. Beautiful People is described as an imaginative and thematically rich ensemble “what if&#8221…

EXCLUSIVE: After Paul Lee rearranged his top programming executives in June, ABC and ABC Studios have now made more tweaks to their teams. The biggest one — Michael McDonald is being promoted to SVP drama development for ABC Studios and will head the studio’s drama department. The post had been vacant since June when…