By Ana Perez
Vanessa Ramos Universal TV Deal
Vanessa Ramos is finding a home with Universal Television, a Universal Studio Group division where the writer/producer scored a multi-year overall deal. Ramos, known as Co-Producer on Superstore, Supervising Producer on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and most recently, Co-Executive Producer on Kenan, will develop projects for Universal TV for different platforms.
“We are thrilled to continue building our relationship with Vanessa, who is an extremely talented writer and has contributed greatly to every project she’s been a part of,” said Jim Donnelly, EVP of Comedy Development, Universal Televsion. “Her sense of humor and range of ideas will add greatly to our roster at Universal Televsion, and we are excited to be a part of her future.”
The comedic writer began her television career as a staffer on the Comedy Central Roast, the Emmy-nominated series of celebrity roast specials. As for new projects, Ramos recently exec produced a single-camera workplace comedy for NBC with David Caspe (Black Monday), John Fox (Dolemite is My Name) and John Davis (Game Night).
Ramos currently serves as a Co-Executive Producer of Mr. Mayor and has written on the TV shows Big Mouth, Bordertown, Crashing and Superstore, which had it’s series finale last month.
“I could not be more thrilled to make it official with Universal Television,” said Ramos to Deadline. “The whole team has been nothing but supportive and nurturing of my voice as a writer throughout my career, and no one said anything when I pitched a show while wearing sweatpants. I’m looking forward to collaborating on all sorts of fun projects together.”
Ramos is repped by UTA and 3 Arts Entertainment.
Annie Gonzalez Joins ABC Comedy Pilot ‘Bucktown’
ABC’s Bucktown has two more coming! Annie Gonzalez (Gentefied) and newcomer Sofia Capanna will join Jane Lynch (Glee), Shannon Woodward (Westworld) and Nicole Richie (The Simple Life) in the new ABC multi-cam sitcom.
Bucktown follows Amy, played by Woodward, who moves back into her mother’s home after her boyfriend dumps her right before a big promotion. Amy reconnects with her teenage niece living there as her sister is doing her latest stin in rehab.
The project, produced by ABC Signature, is also executive produced by Marc Provissiero (Pen15) and Mandy Summers (The Greatest American Hero).
Gonzalez recently finished shooting the second season of Netflix’s Gentefied, a series that follows three cousins who work together to keep their Grandfather’s popular Boyle Heights taco shop in business as the neighborhood becomes more gentrified.
Annie Gonzalez is repped by the Smith & Hervey/Grimes Talent Agency.
Natalie Morales Takes Lead in CBS Untitled Comedy
Natalie Morales (The Little Things) has landed a lead role in CBS’s comedy pilot based on Sarah Cooper’s book How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings. Also, cast in lead roles are Amy Landecker (Transparent) and Alice Lee (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist).
The single-cam comedy will follow three women who are at different stages in their careers at a male-dominated company who help each other navigate modern gender politics in their professional and personal lives.
Morales will play Joanna, a conflict-averse, people-pleasing middle manager at the small tech company Lucent Muse. She lives with her boyfriend of two years, a sweet, loyal guy who might be too sweet and loyal for her.
Sarah Cooper penned the untitled series based on her book How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men’s Feelings with Cindy Chupack and Amy York Rubin directed. Morales also serves as a producer alongside Chupack, who serves as showrunner, and Executive Produces with Cooper and Nina Tassler, Denise Di Novi, via PatMa Productions.
Morales’ acting credits include playing Detective Jamie Estrada on The Little Things and Michelle Gutierrez on Netflix’s Dead To Me. She directed and starred in Language Lessons, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Audience Award at SXSW. The Florida native is an exec producer and director on Plan B, a feature comedy on Hulu that will be released in spring 2021. She is repped by CAA.