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| Christina Pickles in Break a Hip |
The web series world is buzzing about a fun and engaging new comedy that premiered last week.
Wincy is desperate. He’s a failed actor, behind on the rent, fleeing creditors and his parents’ criticism. Biz is desperate. She needs paper towels. Entering the twilight years of her life, Biz can’t manage her daily needs without help, but she might be able to help Wincy find his path in life. An unlikely friendship is born when two misfits cross generations to find each other in
Break a Hip, the whimsical new comedy currently airing on Vimeo.
The starry cast is lead by five time Emmy Award-nominee Christina Pickles, an industry veteran known for her iconic portrayal of Monica’s mom Judy Geller on
Friends and her Emmy-nominated turn as Nurse Helen Rosenthal in
St. Elsewhere. Pickles stars as Biz, an elderly English actress living alone in a one-room studio in the heart of Hollywood. Biz hires Wincy (newcomer Britt Hennemuth) to assist her with her very exceedingly specific daily needs and ends up becoming his unwitting mentor, while taking him on a series of bizarre and complicated escapades. From evading Biz’s vindictive, banjo playing landlady (Allison Janney) to navigating her escalating health issues with her new doctor (Octavia Spencer), their absurd adventures form a relationship that is unexpected, frustrating, hilarious and deeply touching.
The story is loosely based on series creator Cameron Watson’s personal experience as a young actor in Hollywood. According to Watson, “I was hired by an older English actress who lived by herself. Her husband was dead, all of her friends were dead, she had no one. She was a lovely, complicated woman. And she was alone and frightened. And that often came out as mean. I loved her deeply and she taught me a lot. We developed a very strong dependency on each other and the absurdity of our adventures together are what inspired the script.”
Notable cast members include six-time Emmy winner Allison Janney (
Mom,
Spy,
The West Wing), Peri Gilpin (
Frasier,
Mr. Robinson), Oscar winner Jim Rash (
Community,
The Way, Way Back), Priscilla Barnes (
Three’s Company,
Jane the Virgin) and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (
The Help).
Catch the latest episode below, guest starring Allison Janney.
