Julianne Hough to star in Fox put pilot ‘One Hit Wendy’

Julianne Hough is set to star in a single camera comedy with a put pilot order at Fox, Variety has learned.

Hough will star in “One Hit Wendy,” which follows Wendy, a one hit wonder who peaked at 18 as she tries to guide her talented niece, Jordan, through the music industry and keep her from making the same mistakes she did.

Should the project move forward, it would mark the latest series set within the music industry at Fox. The network currently airs “Empire” and “Star,” which are currently in their fourth and second season respectively.

Hough will also serve as an executive producer on the project in addition to starring. The project will be written by Lesley Wake Webster, who will also executive produce. David Katzenberg, Seth Grahame-Smith, and Diane Warren will also executive produce. Katzenberg and Grahame-Smith’s KatzSmith Productions will produce in association with 20th Century Fox Television. The project is the first set up under KatzSmith’s overall deal with 20th TV.

Hough is known for appearing as a professional dancer on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars,” on which she is a two-time champion. She has also acted in the films “Rock of Ages” and “Dirty Grandpa,” and has appeared on the shows “Speechless” and the Fox live musical “Grease: Live” as Sandy. She will be seen next in the feature film “Bigger.”

Wake Webster most recently worked as a writer and co-executive producer on the CBS comedy “Life in Pieces.” Her other writing and producing credits include the reboot of “The Odd Couple,” “American Dad,” and “New Girl.”

Katzenberg and Grahame-Smith recently produced the hit horror film “It.” They also co-created the MTV series “The Hard Times of RJ Berger.” Katzenberg also executive produced the ABC comedy “The Goldbergs.” He has directed multiple episodes of that series and shows like “Ballers,” “Riverdale,” “New Girl,” and “Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce.” Grahame-Smith has written screenplays for “Dark Shadows,” “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” and wrote an early draft of “Beetlejuice 2,” which both he and Katzenberg will produce.

Hough is repped by WME and Alchemy Entertainment. Katzenberg and Grahame-Smith are repped by WME.

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