Jane Kaczmarek to Co-Star in Fox Comedy 'Friends and Family'

5:15 PM PDT 3/13/2013 by Lesley Goldberg

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The "Malcolm in the Middle" alum will play Jason Ritter's mother in the network's adaptation of "Gavin & Stacey."

FOX

Jane Kaczmarek

Jane Kaczmarek has found a new family.

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Jason Ritter to Star in Fox's 'Friends and Family' Pilot

The Malcolm in the Middle Emmy nominee is returning to Fox with a co-starring role in the network's comedy pilot Friends and Family, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.

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The half-hour entry, which is being adapted from the BBC series Gavin & Stacey, shines a light on how friends and family are the best support and the worst nightmare when two very different people (played by Parenthood's Jason Ritter and Gilmore GIrls' Alexis Bledel) meet and try to make a long-distance relationship work.

Kaczmarek will play Pam, Gavin's (Ritter) overbearing mother who is described as often wrong but never in doubt. She's married to Michael (Kurt Fuller), and has no verbal filter and little volume control.

The single-camera comedy pilot, which hails from Sony Pictures TV, BBC Worldwide Productions and Baby Cow Productions, is being penned by writer/executive producer David Rosen (I Just Want My Pants Back). Joining him as exec producers are Baby Cow's Steve Coogan and Henry Normal, Jane Tranter, Julie Gardner, James Corden and Ruth Jones.

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She joins a cast that also includes Kerri Kenney-Silver, Dustin Ybarra and Ashlie Atkinson. Casting is now complete ahead of the pilot's New York shoot.

The Friends and Family gig returns Kaczmarek to the network at which she spent seven seasons starring as Lois, the stubborn mother in Malcolm in the Middle. The role earned her seven lead actress in a comedy Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe mentions. Repped by ICM Partners and Greenlight Management, her credits include Raising the Bar, Help Me Help You and a string of guest gigs on series including Whitney, Wilfred and The Middle.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit