|
Nickelodeon's First Original Family Primetime Movie, Gym Teacher: The Movie, Starring Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) and Nathan Kress (iCarly), to Premiere This August
Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy) and David Alan Grier (In Living Color)
Co-Star; Olympian Bruce Jenner Appears in Cameo
NEW YORK, March 13 -- Law & Order: SVU star Christopher
Meloni slips out of his usual dramatic groove to star in Nickelodeon's
first family primetime movie, in the original comedy, Gym Teacher: The
Movie, to premiere this August (date and time TBD). Joining Meloni in the
film will be co-star Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy) and Nickelodeon's
Nathan Kress (iCarly), in a combination of stars and story that will
delight and entertain both kids and their parents.
"Gym Teacher: The Movie truly has something for everyone in the family,
with its blend of broad comedy, sports competition and romance," said
Marjorie Cohn, Nickelodeon's Executive Vice President, Development and
Original Programming. "Christopher Meloni is one of the most versatile
actors around, and alongside him is Nathan Kress from Nickelodeon's iCarly
as the uncoordinated new student, in a funny yet touching story of
redemption, for all those who like to root for the underdog."
Meloni steps into the sneakers of underdog Dave Stewie, a humiliated
former gymnastics gold medal contender-turned gym teacher who gets a shot
at redemption as he vies for the coveted Gym Teacher of the Year Award. But
with dorky Roland Waffle (Kress) new to his team, Stewie's no shoo-in, and
the coach and the gym-averse kid get mutual makeovers in their bid to be
winners.
As the slightly bonkers principal of Hamm Lake Middle School, Sedaris'
Abby Hofmann holds a not-so-secret crush on Stewie. David Alan Grier's prep
school coach, Shelley Bragg, is dedicated to proving Stewie a failure and
bringing the trophy home for himself. Chelah Horsdal gets Stewie's heart-a-
thumping and complicates his life as Hamm Lake's new English teacher Winnie
Bleeker, who just happens to be Roland's over-protective widowed mom.
Playing himself, former Olympian Bruce Jenner turns up in a cameo as
Stewie's idol.
While Dave Stewie's run into a vaulting horse trampled his gold medal
chances in 1988, he rebuilt his life from the ashes of humiliation to
become gym teacher extraordinaire at Hamm Lake Middle School.
Ever-competitive -- albeit a tad over the top -- he's committed to molding
physically fit kids. So when the nation's President announces a contest for
the greatest physical educator, Dave hankers to lead his talented team to
victory, redeem himself and bask in the glory.
Enter his worst nightmare in the person of sci-fi buff/helmeted Roland
Waffle, a transfer student without an athletic bone in his body. And in a
jaw-dropping irony, Roland's mom, Winnie, is the beautiful new teacher Dave
hopes to date. In order to win the national contest and crush his nemesis,
Coach Bragg, Dave must secretly turn this gangly thorn in his side into a
competitor - against his overly-protective mother's wishes. And just as
Coach Stewie's plans - for the competition and love - seem to move steadily
on track, Coach Bragg catches wind of the ruse and clues in Winnie who
could cost Stewie his shot at a gold medal and at love.
Gym Teacher is a Nickelodeon production in association with Dolphin
Entertainment. Executive producers are Lauren Levine (Bridge to Terabithia,
Shredderman Rules!), Stanley M. Brooks (Broken Trail), Jim Head and Bill
O'Dowd. Paul Dinello (Strangers with Candy, The Colbert Report) directs a
teleplay by brothers Daniel and Steven Altiere.
For nine seasons (1999-present) Meloni has starred as Detective Elliot
Stabler on NBC's Law & Order: SVU, and the portrayal earned him an Emmy
nomination (2006). Concurrently, from 1998-2003, he operated on the other
side of the law as darkly quirky Chris Keller on HBO's acclaimed Oz.
Demonstrating a flair for comedy, on the big screen he played the football
coach rejected by Julia Roberts' character in Runaway Bride and a maniacal
mechanic named Freak Show in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Earlier, he
starred in the comedy series The Fanelli Boys and recurred on the TV drama
series NYPD Blue and Homicide: Life on the Streets. Meloni has four
upcoming films, including Nights in Rodanthe (Warner Brothers) also
starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere; Harold & Kumar 2 (New Line Cinema),
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, also starring Julianne Nicholson and
Timothy Hutton; and Carriers, an apocalyptic thriller to be released by
Paramount Vantage about a viral pandemic.
Kress, 15, co-stars on Nickelodeon's hit series iCarly as Freddie, the
tech-savvy web show producer who's smitten with Miranda Cosgrove's Carly.
He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the 168-Hour Film Festival
for his portrayal of a cocaine pusher in the independent comedy Bag. His
additional roles include a wheelchair-bound basketball player in The Suite
Life of Zack and Cody and four characters, including the lead Ninja student
Eizan, in Nickelodeon's animated series Shuriken School.
Nickelodeon, in its 28th year, is the number-one entertainment brand
for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in
everything it does. The company includes television programming and
production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer
products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films.
Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 96 million
households and has been the number- one-rated basic cable network for more
than 13 consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters
and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).
SOURCE Nickelodeon
http://www.nick.com
|
