I Love Minnie Driver

Posted Sep 8, 2006 by Walt Belcher

Updated Nov 2, 2006 at 12:43 PM

  I’ve been a Minnie Driver fan since I saw her in “Return to Me,” a great little romantic movie so I am excited that she is doing her first TV series (this means I get to interview her).

  FX today placed a 13-episode series order for a drama, “The Riches” (working title, formally “Lowlife”), starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver, announced John Landgraf, President and General Manager of FX Networks. 

“We’re excited to pick-up FX’s first ‘family show,’ albeit a show and a family unlike any television viewers have seen before,” said Landgraf.  “The pickup of The Riches reflects two of FX’s goals: first, our continued efforts to make innovative, high quality television shows and second, our commitment to expanding the boundaries of our successful original series brand.”

Izzard and Driver star in The Riches, a one-hour drama focusing on a family of Traveller con artists, Wayne (Izzard) and Dahlia (Driver) Malloy and their three kids.  Through a set of unusual circumstances, the Malloy’s assume the identify of a well-to-do “normal” family, the Riches (Doug and Cherien).  The family soon finds out that living the American Dream with their newfound identity is more twisted and challenging than any of their previous stings. 

The Riches was created by playwright Dmitry Lipkin, who wrote the pilot episode and will executive produce along with Izzard.  Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin, who most recently served as writers and co-executive producers on Showtime’s critically acclaimed drama series Brotherhood, are also executive producers, along with Michael Rosenberg, Mark Morgan and Guy Oseary.  The pilot episode was directed by Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress), with re-shoots directed by Peter O’Fallon (House, American Gothic).  FX, Fox Television Studios and Maverick Television will produce, with production scheduled to begin in December with a premiere slated for 2007.