Nellie Andreeva

EXCLUSIVE: In a late buy, NBC has put in development The Fosters, a comedy co-written by and starring Gary Anthony Williams (Weeds) and executive produced by one of the network’s top personalities, Today co-host/producer Al Roker. The project, which Williams will co-write with Sindy McKay based on an idea by Williams, McKay, Larry Swerdlove and Scott Ward, would have him starring as a father with numerous foster children. Roker, who became involved with the project because of his personal experience with foster kids, will executive produce with his executive at Al Roker Entertainment Tracie Brennan; McKay, Swerdlove, and Ward will co-executive produce. The comedy should not be confused with the ABC Family hourlong pilot The Fosters, executive produced by Jennifer Lopez, about a lesbian couple raising biological and foster kids.

This marks Wiiliams’ return to NBC, where he co-starred in Greg Daniels’ comedy pilot Friday Night Dinner last season. Williams, who has also recently sold projects to Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, recurs on Fox’s Raising Hope and TV Land’s Soul Man. He will next be seen in Shawn Levy’s The Internship. Williams is with ROAR, Buchwald/Fortitude and attorney Lev Ginsburg;  Roker is with WME.

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