Lil Rel Howery, Maude Apatow, Janelle James Join Upcoming Keke Palmer, SZA led Buddy Comedy!!

The still-untitled Keke Palmer/SZA buddy comedy just filled out its supporting cast. Among the actors joining the Issa Rae-produced film are Lil Rel Howery, Maude Apatow, and Janelle James. Deadline reports that the Tristar Pictures film’s plot and character details are being kept under wraps for now.

In addition to Howery, Apatow, and James, the film also added Vanessa Bell Calloway (Coming to America), Keyla Monterroso Mejia (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Katt Williams (Atlanta), Joshua Neal (A Black Lady Sketch Show), Aziza Scott (Home Before Dark), and Patrick Cage (Mayor of Kingstown). Palmer is coming off her acclaimed performance in Jordan Peele‘s Nope; she is next slated to star in Aziz Ansari‘s directorial debut Good Fortune, and the Eddie Murphy/Pete Davidson heist comedy The Pickup. The film will be chart-topping musician SZA‘s feature acting debut; she previously guest-starred on an episode of Rae‘s HBO series Insecure.

Who Are Lil Rel Howery, Maude Apatow, and Janelle James?

Stand-up comedian Lil Rel Howery broke out playing Bobby on The Carmichael Show, and had a scene-stealing supporting role in Get Out. Since then, he has appeared in a variety of projects, including Good Boys, Judas and the Black Messiah, Free Guy, and Vacation Friends. He also had his own short-lived sitcom, Rel. He will next be seen in the family comedy Harold and the Purple Crayon, the live action/animated road movie Animal Friends, and the action comedy Code 3. The daughter of Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow made her big-screen debut in the Judd-directed Knocked Up, playing Mann‘s daughter. She made appearances in a number of her father’s subsequent films, including Funny People, This is 40, and The King of Staten Island. She currently stars on HBO‘s Euphoria, which is about to film its long-delayed third season, and will also star in the upcoming holiday comedy Oh. What. Fun. James began her career as a stand-up comedian, and wrote for Black Monday, which she also had a recurring role on; she has also appeared on Crashing, Corporate, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. She currently stars as Principal Ava Coleman on ABC‘s Abbott Elementary, which will enter its fourth season this fall.

Making his feature directorial debut, Lawrence Lamont (Rap Sh!t) will helm the film, from a screenplay by Syreeta Singleton (Central Park). Producing the film are Hoorae’s Rae and Sara Diya Rastogi, ColorCreative’s Deniese Davis, and Macro Film Studios’ Charles D. King, James Lopez, and Poppy Hanks. Singleton will co-produce, while star Keke Palmer and her mother, Sharon Palmer, will executive produce for Big Boss.