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EXCLUSIVE: Zach Cregger has landed a lead role on NBC’s midseason ensemble comedy series Friends with Benefits. The 20th TV/Imagine TV project, whose pilot was directed by David Dobkin, explores modern-day romance through the eyes of five friends, each looking for “the one” but in the meantime settling for “friends with benefits.” Cregger will play one of them, a nerdy but cute hopeless romantic who is worth $12 million after selling an algorithm to Google. He replaces Fran Kranz who played the role in the pilot, one of two Friends with Benefits leads that were recast after the upfronts. Andre Holland was recently tapped for the other, replacing Ian Reed Kesler. Cregger starred in another NBC comedy pilot this past development season, The Pink House. He also is a founding member of The Whitest Kids U’Know sketch comedy troupe.
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Field School mafia?
Fran Kranz was not the problem. The writing was the problem.
A huge congratulations to Zach, this is hugely deserved. The dude has some major comedic acting chops, which is sometimes easy to overlook in an ensemble sketch show. Hope this rework turns out well.
Kranz didn’t test well in the looks department though. Cregger will bring more to the role – he is funny and has a fanbase of college girls because of WKUK and his stand up.
I’m hearing this show is turning out to be hilarious.
Uh, it’s terrible. One of the worst pilots I’ve ever read.
given all the trouble this show has gone through. would be the ulimate surprise if this show winds up becoming a hit. in the end
Good for him! He’s such a nice boy too. His role totally is his personality.
Zach Cregger is awesome. Good for him.
This is one of the worst pilots I’ve ever seen. A good director can make bad writing look good. David Dobkin is not one of those directors. That said, I look forward to this fall’s sitcoms, Happy Couples with Benefits.
It will be interesting to see someone like Zach playing such a “nerdy” character, but knowing that he’s in it will make me tune in and I don’t even watch cable TV! Go Zach!
Looks off beat to me …. not
Fantastic! This guy is great— i’ve been watching him for years and think he’s been the main driver in WKUK. Great choice, and congratulations to NBC and to Zach!
Zach has unbelieveable charisma and a truely talented spirit — this is the type of artist that makes shows like “Friends…” hugely successful. I predict Zach will carry this show into the stratosphere…