Norm Lewis, Eve, Tasha Smith, La La Anthony, Janet Mock, Kelly Osbourne, Debby Ryan and Scott Evans have joined the previously-cast Tichina Arnold, Chloe Bridges, Camille Guaty, Fiona Gubelmann, McKinley Freeman and Vanessa Williams (playing the lead role) in VH1’s upcoming hour-long scripted drama series inspired by Star Jones’ 2011 book “Satan’s Sisters.”
Slated for a 2017 premiere, per the press release, the series will actually be titled “Daytime Divas,” and will focus on the five female co-hosts of a popular daily TV talk show and the fireworks that ensue each weekday when they discuss life, love, family, politics, and gossip. These five women, with very different points of view, are best friends and sisters… while they’re on TV. But behind the scenes, they are “Satan’s Sisters” – a backstage world filled with power struggles, personal demons, diva fits, love affairs, man troubles, cat fights… and cocktails.
Lewis has signed up to play William, a handsome doorman who may hold one of the ladies’ darkest secrets. Eve will play Cecile James, author of a book about alpha women and guest of the talk show at the center of the series, who hopes to make her stint permanent. Osbourne will play herself promoting a book on the talk show. Smith will play Portia Camden, a popular lifestyle guru who joins the ladies as a guest co-host on the show. Anthony will play Isabel Carlisle, a crisis management expert brought in to help handle a situation that has gone public with one of the hosts. Ryan will play Maddie Finn, a former co-star and rival of Chloe Bridges’s character, looking to reconcile on the talk show. Mock will play herself, as a guest co-host on the talk show who ends up connecting with and helping one of the other hosts. And Evans will play Julian, a celebrity sober coach helping to keep one of the ladies on track.
Williams will play the role of Maxine, the creator and host of the daily talk show, titled “The Lunch Hour;” described as a formidable, powerful, and decisive woman, who fears she’s being put out to pasture. Arnold, Bridges, Guaty and Gubelmann will all play her co-hosts of the talk show, while Freeman will play Williams’ son and producer of the show.
“I’m so excited that ‘Satan’s Sisters,’ which was such a fun book to write, is finally coming to the small screen,” said Star Jones in a previous statement. “I would be lying if I said that ‘Satan’s Sisters’ wasn’t influenced by the soap opera life of daytime TV but it is a work of fiction. All the characters are inspired, in parts, by someone I’ve worked with, worked for, interviewed, was interviewed by and/or even prosecuted.”
Executive producers for the series are Josh Berman (“Drop Dead Diva,” “CSI”), Star Jones, Suzanne DePasse (“The Temptations,” “Lonesome Dove”) & Madison Jones, and Susan Levison.
“Awkward” showrunners Chris Alberghini and Mike Chessler will serve as showrunners/executive producers of the hour-long scripted drama for VH1.
Writers for the series are Amy Engelberg and Wendy Engelberg who also serve as executive producers.
The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television.
The series will continue VH1’s momentum in the scripted arena. The network recently gave the series greenlight for its original movie “The Breaks” which was seen by 2.6 million total viewers on its January 4 premiere night.
