Christina Ricci is nearing a deal to take a starring role in a brand new television project. The actress is in talks to sign on for a lead in NBC’s new pilot, Girlfriend in a Coma. If she takes the comedic role in the pilot, she’ll play Karen, the girlfriend who has been in a coma for a really long time.
NBC’s comedy pilot is based on a book with the same name by Douglas Coupland and will follow Karen’s awakening from a coma. As it turns out, the woman has been asleep for an extremely long time. According to EW, Karen fell into a coma years and years ago and when she wakes up, she finds out she has a 17-year-old daughter from a pregnancy that had not been uncovered when she was last conscious. Nurse Jackie co-creator Liz Brixius is behind the project.
Yes, that is a ridiculous premise with a confusing title for a story about an awakening, but if Coupland could make it work for a fairly unfunny novel, hopefully NBC can make it work for comedic TV. Besides, it would be nice to see Ricci in another starring role on television. Her lead gig on Pan Am may not have panned out exactly as she may have hoped, but Ricci did take a role in The Good Wife earlier this season that proved she can do more comedic (at least if abrasive) roles on television. Here’s hoping Girlfriend in a Coma will pan out for the actress, even if that title doesn’t stick around.
Girlfriend in a Coma has plenty of pilot competition over at NBC, so we'll let you know if it does move forward at the network.
