Jason Katims' About a Boy pilot has found its boy. And it's one already familiar with NBC. 1600 Penn's Benjamin Stockham will fill Nicholas Hoult's stolen sneakers, as he's been cast to play the role of Marcus in the comedy pilot in the works, based on Nick Hornby's book, and the 2002 feature film adaptation that followed.
THR posted the news today, stating that Stockham would play the titular "boy" in the pilot, which comes from Parenthood's Jason Katims. The project will be a shift from drama to comedy for Jason Katims, but his experience adapting Friday Night Lights - which was first a book, then a movie - for the small screen should prove useful in this project. Stockham joins previously cast David Walton, who's playing the unattached man-child Will, who was portrayed by Hugh Grant in the film. Minnie Driver is playing Marcus' quirky single mother Fiona.
Stockham currently plays one of the youngest members of the First Family, the adorable and determined Xander Gilchrist, in NBC's comedy 1600 Penn. THR says his About a Boy role is in second position to his commitment to the NBC series, but the fact that he's evidently shopping around for his next role is one more indication that 1600 Penn might be on the way out. Hopefully, that's not the case, but in the meantime, Stockham isn't the first 1600 Penn cast member to line up a new role. Last month, we learned that Robbie Amell, who plays D.B. in the comedy, has been cast to star in the CW pilot The Tomorrow People..
