LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Amy Poehler might be joining her Saturday Night Live pal Tina Fey as a prime-time player for NBC.
Poehler is in talks to star in NBC's spin-off of The Office, sources said.
NBC and Office creator Greg Daniels have been mum on details about the project. The only actor cast in it so far is comedian Aziz Ansari, but it's thought that the show might be built around a name actor, in much the same way as NBC's remake of the UK series is anchored by Steve Carell.
Poehler's name was first linked to the Office spin-off in April, shortly before the theatrical release of Baby Mama, in which Poehler and Fey shared top billing.
After the movie's big opening weekend elevated Poehler to a bankable film star, the rumor went dormant for a while until resurfacing with a vengeance in late June, when serious talks with the networks are said to have begun.
If the deal closes, Poehler, a key member of the SNL cast and Weekend Update co-anchor, will follow in the footsteps of Fey. She also left SNL, where she shared the Weekend Update desk with Poehler, to topline an NBC comedy, her Emmy-winning 30 Rock.
NBC and Poehler's reps declined comment.
Poehler would leave a void on SNL, where her gallery of memorable characters includes Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Another issue is Poehler's pregnancy. She is due in fall, and the Office spin-off is scheduled to debut after the Super Bowl in early February, though that might change.
Comments (17)
She's my fave from SNL. I loved Mean Girls,The Ex and Blades of Glory. I am so excited about her new show!
Not a big fan of hers.
she showed that she could act in baby mama so i think she'd do well in a comedy series
since Sen. Hillary Clinton would be need if she left that would be great for her career but bad for SNL
well it seems it´s not a spin-off any more.http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/its-official-its-the-office-un-spin-off/
Could be okay, it's just Amy has a very out there kind of comedy. If that's what they're looking for and if that's what the show is like then that's great but it's all really hard to judge because we pretty much know nothing about the show itself.
SNL is suffering? I think America has been suffering due to SNL for many years now. Poehler is good in small doses, but on my "scale of funny" she's on the lower rung.
I just don't find her funny - at all.
PLEASE PUT HER ON THIS SHOW and LAUREN GRAHAM
More (not crude enough by British standards but wattered down enough for American sensibilities) crude jokes. Great. I'll just have to watch the Brits again.
Amy is one of SNL's strongest players right now (arguebly the strongest) and it would be a loss to the show to lose her. I think I'd be happy to hear the deal won't go through, SNL needs Amy right now.
Well The Office spinoff is kinda cancelled.... so this is irelevant
I have my doubts about <i>The Office</i> spin-off but I really hope it's good. I wonder if the show is going to be shot in New York or Los Angeles.
YAY!! I can't get enough Amy and Tina time. :)
good luck
Interesting news. Though it's a shame SNL always suffers. It seems that a cast member of SNL stays, gets well known and then pursues other things after a while. Guess that's show business. :)
Where is the mandatory Will Arnett mention? And by Will Arnett, I mean Will Arnett from Arrested Development mention.