September 4, 2013
Rashida Jones and Sister Develop "Ladyballs"
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 3 MIN.
"Parks and Recreation" star Rashida Jones, who played an adorable, tie-wearing lesbian in "Our Idiot Brother," has teamed up with her sister Kidada Jones to bring their new project, "Ladyballs" to the CW network.
"It revolves around two twentysomething estranged friends in search of love in New York who are reunited after learning that they've been dating the same guy," Jones told the Hollywood Reporter. "When their plot to humiliate the two-timer goes viral, they realize the 'payback' business is a lucrative one and set up a clandestine business to continue bringing down the hand of justice for those who have been wronged."
The 36-year-old actress, who is the daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton, will leave her role as Leslie Knope's best friend in "Parks and Recreation" following the first 13 episodes of the upcoming sixth season.
Jones and her writing/producing partner of Will McCormack of "Celeste & Jesse Forever" will executive produce the show, alongside Allegiance Theater's Daniel Dubiecki and Lara Alameddine. Kara Taylor of "Prep School Confidential" fame will write the script and co-executive produce the dramedy.
Kidada Jones will produce the show -- her first time for the model/actress/fashion designer. Neither Jones sister is currently slated to appear in the show, which is now operating under the working title, "The Revengers."
Jones and McCormack also have another show in production that's been picked up at Fox. Titled "Stuck," the show follows a middle-aged women whose slacker daughter becomes her boss after she helps her get a job at the bank where she works.
Jones is a friend to the LGBT community, having recently co-hosted the GLAAD Media Awards with "Parks and Recreation" co-star Amy Poehler. She has also played a lesbian and feminist in several other films.
"I actually looked to my lesbian friends for approval of my portrayal of a lesbian. That's crazy, of course, because there's such a large gamut that lesbians run, but they gave me the thumbs up," Jones told AfterEllen.com of her role as a lesbian lawyer in a relationship with Zooey Deschanel.
Jones admitted that the role gave her the opportunity to have her first girl kiss, on and off-screen, telling AfterEllen.com, "I was like, 'Oh, my god, girls are so pretty and soft. No stubble burn! What am I doing with guys?'" Although she's straight and hasn't "dipped back since," she's still "very appreciative of the experience."
Women-Led Series For Network and Web
The Jones sisters will be in good company this fall, as "30 Rock" star/producer Tina Fey has teamed up with former co-workers Robert Carlick and Matt Hubbard for a series commitment from Fox about a women's college that begins accepting men for the first time ever. She has also sold a separate comedy from "30 Rock" writer/producer Colleen McGuiness to NBC about a young women reconnecting with her father on Fire Island. Both shows are from Universal Television and Fey's production company, Little Stranger.
In addition, award-winning director/actor/editor/musician Flo Vinger of "The Bachelor" and "Fear Factor" fame is also currently producing, directing, writing, editing and starring in "LIPS," a lesbian web series that follows an impassioned, confident and somewhat delusional lesbian rocker named London. Despite her gigs, like playing at a Jewish circumcision, she never gives up the dream of being a famous rocker. Their friend Bubba follows them around with a camera, believing that a behind-the-scenes documentary will make them famous.
The show is now in season two, exploring the intimacy issues and smoking-hot chemistry between Volker and Sheetal Sheth's character, Rosauauda, aka Rosie.
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.