EXCLUSIVE: Shane Paul McGhie (Poker Face, The Last Shift) and Dasan Frazier (A Different World, Delphi) are set as the leads in Untitled Male Friendship Show, Issa Rae‘s new half-hour comedy pilot at HBO.
Written and exec produced by Rae, the pilot centers on Menzel (McGhie), a 28-year-old barber, aspiring sports manager and professional best friend to JB (Frazier), a 27-year-old up-and-coming boxer, as they navigate ambition, insecurity, loneliness and the double-edged sword of success within the high-stakes world of professional boxing in Las Vegas.
Prentice Penny, a key collaborator of Rae’s on Insecure, will serve as showrunner, executive producer and pilot director. Jax Clark will exec produce for Hoorae alongside A Penny For Your Thoughts and Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment.
McGhie’s credits include guest roles in Poker Face, Abbott Elementary and Grey’s Anatomy and as Jevon in Andrew Cohn’s feature The Last Shift. He’s repped by Innovative Artists Entertainment and Josiah Akinyele at ColorCreative.
Frazier most recently appeared in A Different World, which was just renewed by Netflix for a second season. Upcoming, he’ll be seen in a recurring role in Delphi, Prime Video’s new series out of the Creed universe, from Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society. Frazier is repped by Paradigm, Tassell Talent Group and Fox Rothschild.
