Who will be the next Magda Szubanski?

Seems her counterpart in the US version of Kath & Kim is still not announced, despite NBC already shooting a first episode.

The role of “Heather” (retitled from “Sharon”) must logically be absent from the first episode, or to be added in once the role is cast.

“(The series) has been very difficult to cast because we hold such a high bar,” NBC’s Ben Silverman told the Sydney Morning Herald.

As the man behind the US transition of The Office and Ugly Betty, Silverman has high hopes for the series. NBC granted the series another seven eps based on seeing the first episode. Silverman admits he was immediately engaged by the Aussie version. But his passion only grew when he met Gina Riley, Jane Turner and executive producer, Rick McKenna.

“Gina and Jane brought something so unique and so personal to it, but at the same time Kath & Kim follows a very traditional form of storytelling.

“I love the mother/daughter relationship and the universality of the mother’s exploration of her adult sexuality, the idea that she has finally found her space and rhythm only to be interrupted by her daughter moving home. It’s just funny. It made me laugh to watch it and that’s so rare,” he said.

Source: smh.com.au