Amazon To Pilot Comedy Featuring Actors With Down Syndrome
Amazon is introducing a new half-hour comedy from the creator of “Sex and the City” that features a slew of actors with Down syndrome.
The streaming service said this week that it will release a pilot episode of “Love You More” next month.
The comedy stars Bridget Everett as Karen Best, a counselor at an independent living residence for young adults with Down syndrome.
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Described as “a big girl with a big personality and a big love of Chardonnay,” Karen has made mistakes with men and doesn’t feel worthy of being loved, but she has a big heart and excels at her job, Amazon said.
Show creator Michael Patrick King — known for HBO’s “Sex and the City” and CBS’ “2 Broke Girls” — said that he visited a group home while developing the concept.
“When I asked the amazing woman who was running the home which of her personality traits was the most successful in doing her job, she responded: ‘My humor.’ Her response, and some subsequent conversations I’ve had with others in the community, gave me the sense that not only were we on the right path but our hearts were in the right place,” King said.
Nine actors with Down syndrome — all adults in their 20s to 40s — will appear in the pilot alongside Everett as residents of The Jane Berger House, Amazon said.
“While we intend to portray each of these ‘resident’ characters with distinctly different personalities and explore them as fully realized individuals, they all have one thing in common: their ability to love. Their pure, open and enthusiastic love of Karen is the heart of the series,” King said.
But that doesn’t mean that individuals with the chromosomal disorder will be portrayed in an unrealistic way, he indicated.
“The residents will have the same personality conflicts, the same struggles and the same uniquely different points of view that you find in any other group of people,” King said.
“Love You More” will be available for streaming on Nov. 10 on Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon frequently seeks viewer feedback on pilot episodes before green-lighting shows for longer runs.
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