BILL CONDON TO DIRECT PILOT EPISODE OF SHOWTIME COMEDY SERIES THE C WORD

Oscar�-winning Writer/Director to Re-team with Kinsey Star Laura Linney

Acclaimed writer/director/producer Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) will direct the pilot episode of SHOWTIME�s upcoming half-hour comedy series, THE C WORD, starring Emmy� winner and Oscar� nominee Laura Linney. Condon will re-team both with Linney, who he directed to a Supporting Actress Oscar� nomination for her work in the acclaimed film Kinsey, and SHOWTIME, which premiered the 1998 film Gods and Monsters, which Condon wrote and directed. The pilot will be shot in the fall.

The C WORD stars Linney, who will also serve as executive producer, as a suburban wife and mother who is recently diagnosed with cancer and is forced to deal with the emotional ups and downs and face reality yet also find the light side of a dark situation. The series is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It will be produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television.

Condon has been a writer, producer and director in Hollywood for nearly two decades. He won an Oscar� for writing Gods and Monsters and was nominated for an Oscar� and a Golden Globe� for writing the hit musical film Chicago and an Emmy� for his work on the 81st annual Academy Awards telecast. He has directed five actors to Oscar�-nominated performances: Linney, Lynn Redgrave, Ian McKellen, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, who won the prized statuette for her work in Dreamgirls.