Nellie Andreeva

Bridesmaids co-star Wendi McLendon-Covey has been tapped as the female lead of ABC‘s untitled Adam F. Goldberg single-camera comedy pilot (formerly How the F Am I Normal), written by Goldberg and to be directed by Seth Gordon. The project, inspired by Goldberg’s experience growing up in the ’80s with a highly screwed up but loving family, is a family comedy set in the ’80s that centers on an in-your-face mother and hot-tempered father who love their three eccentric kids so much, they can’t bear to see them grow up. McLendon-Covey will play the mother, Beverly Gold, a dedicated mom and an overbearing hyper-emotional shopaholic with no sense of boundaries and a big mouth that she’s not afraid to use. The project, from Sony TV and Happy Madison, was given an early pilot order last month after landing a production commitment when it moved to ABC in September from Fox where it was originally set up last season.

McLendon-Covey was among the most sought after actresses for comedy pilots this season, along with Anna Faris, who was tapped as the lead of Chuck Lorre’s CBS pilot Mom, Malin Akerman, who toplines ABC’s off-cycle comedy pilot Trophy Wife, and Damages alumna Rose Byrne, who is being courted by a slew of half-hour projects. McLendon-Covey, repped by UTA and manager Gladys Gonzalez, has an existing relationship with Sony TV and Happy Madison — she has recurred on their long-running CBS comedy series Rules Of Engagement.

TV Editor Nellie Andreeva - tip her here.