Chris Rock Will Direct Kenan Thompson’s Comedy Pilot at NBC
Written by SOURCE on February 16, 2019
Chris Rock has signed on to direct Saving Kenan—NBC’s single-cam comedy pilot starring Saturday Night Live‘s Kenan Thompson.
Deadline reports Rock, a SNL alumnus, will also executive produce the pilot alongside Thompson, Jackie Clarke, Andrew Singer, and SNL creator Lorne Michaels. The outlet reports Thompson will play a newly widowed father who navigates through single parenthood “while begrudgingly letting his persistent father-in-law become more involved in” his family’s life. Clarke was tapped to write the pilot.
Thompson has starred in 16 seasons of SNL, making him the longest-tenured cast member in the show’s history. According to Deadline, the 40-year-old comedian will likely leave the comedy sketch show if Saving Kenan gets picked up.
“They’re like my big giant family. It’s spending quality time and doing quality work with quality people,” Thompson previously told Deadline about SNL. “If it was possible I’d stay forever and just retire as the one guy that never left, basically. I’d be totally fine with that, but at the same time I still have aspirations.”
Rock starred in SNL from 1990 to 1993, but has hosted the show during Thompson’s tenure. Since departing from the sketch show, Rock has starred in films like Doctor Dolittle, Madagascar, Lethal Weapon 4, and Grown Ups. He has also directed movies like Head of State, I Love My Wife, and Top Five, as well as an episode of Everybody Hates Chris.
