New Girl co-lead Hannah Simone, has just been given pilot commitment by the ABC network for a single-camera sitcom partially based on Simone’s very own life. She played Cecilia “Cece” Parikh, Jess’ best friend since childhood, who works as a fashion model throughout New Girl‘s series run.
Simone will also tackle co-writing and executive producing duties for the developing series. New Girl writers Matt Fusfeld and Alex Cuthbertson will also be supporting executive producers. As of now, ABC has only ordered a pilot script penned by all three, respectively.
The New Girl alumna, was born in London to an Indian father and an English mother of German, Italian, and Greek Cypriot descent. As a young girl, she traveled extensively throughout the European continent, before her family settled in British Columbia, Canada. After graduating from university and a short stint as a human rights officer, she worked as a VJ for MuchMusic, before getting her big break on the critic’s darling New Girl.
The series will follow Simone’s character and her nontraditional Indian family, as it centers on the thirty-something’s career and romantic struggles. Her and her father form a new bond after he reveals that her mother and him are divorcing each other. Personal anecdotes from Simone’s own life might allow the show to create interesting supporting characters with similarly colorful back stories.
In the star’s own life, Simone is very close to her father as well and had written an emotional love letter to him in Time magazine about four years ago. They also starred with each other in a Toyota commercial spot, as they both reminisced about the time he thought her how to drive.
The series will mark Simone’s return to ABC, where last season she was cast as the lead in The Greatest American Hero reboot which didn’t get picked up for a full season order.
Deadline first reported this story.