Cameron Diaz Rom-Com Adds Frankie Faison, Alex Moffat & Heidi Gardner

EXCLUSIVE: Frankie Faison and Saturday Night Live alums Alex Moffat and Heidi Gardner have joined the cast of Amazon MGM Studios’ untitled romantic comedy starring Cameron Diaz and Stephen Merchant, which the latter is directing and co-wrote with John Butler.

The pic, which is now filming, follows a workaholic Brit (Merchant) employed at an upscale New York hotel who needs a wife for appearances. He strikes a deal with a struggling stand-up comic (Diaz) who is desperate for health insurance. Their fake marriage starts as a transaction – but ends in a hilariously unexpected romance. 

Faison, Moffat and Gardner join a big ensemble that includes Rob Lowe, Jake Lacy, Josh Segarra, Sherry Cola, Judith Light, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Fabrizio Guido, Lisa Gilroy and Dustin Ybarra.

Producers are Lee Eisenberg, Merchant, and Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver and Josh Fagen. Natalie Sandy is EP.

Faison starred in such comedies as Coming to America and White Chicks, and more recent dramas including Till and The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain. Additional film credits include Ragtime, Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, and all four Hannibal Lecter films. He was a series regular on HBO’s The Wire, True Colors, Marvel’s Luke Cage, Cinemax’s Banshee, NBC’s The Village, ABC’s The Rookie: Feds, Hello, Tomorrow! for Apple TV and Ripple for Netflix. The actor is represented by Sweeney Entertainment, Innovative Artists and Del Shaw Moonves.

Gardner starred on Saturday Night Live for eight seasons, culminating in the show’s 50th season. She recently starred in All Out on Broadway alongside Sarah Silverman, Jason Mantzoukas and Craig Robinson. She recurs on the new NBC series The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, and can also be seen on Apple TV’s Shrinking, the latest season of You for Netflix, Veep, Superstore, The Other Two, Girls5eva and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Her feature credits include Hustle, Life of the Party, Otherhood, Leo and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Upcoming for Gardner is Scary Movie 6, as well as Judgment Day for Amazon MGM. Gardner is represented by CAA, OPE Partners and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman. 

Moffat recently wrapped a six-season run on Saturday Night Live as a main cast member. He previously appeared in films including Susie Searches, Holidate for Netflix, the live-action hybrid feature Clifford for Paramount, Someone Great for Netflix, the indie Opening Act, Brewmance, and Summer of 60 for Hulu. Series credits include Bad Monkey for Apple TV and Billions for Showtime. Moffat is represented by Mosaic, Gersh and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.