Kristen Bell Joins Showtime's HOUSE OF LIES

Acclaimed actress Kristen Bell (VERONICA MARS, HEROES, COUPLES RETREAT) has joined the cast of SHOWTIME's new comedy pilot HOUSE OF LIES starring Don Cheadle (IRON MAN 2). HOUSE OF LIES, a half-hour, dark comedy created, executive produced and written by Matthew Carnahan (DIRT) from the hit tell-all book House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn, will go into production in February in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA. Jessica Borsicsky (Flash Forward) will serve as executive producer, and Emmy(R) winner Stephen Hopkins (CALIFORNICATION, 24) will direct.

HOUSE OF LIES is a subversive, scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm. Cheadle will star as Marty, a highly successful, cutthroat consultant who is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his clients the information they want. Bell will play Jeannie Van Der Hooven, a razor-sharp, Ivy-League graduate who works at Marty's firm. Bell joins the already cast Dawn Oliveri (HEROES), Josh Lawson (ROMANTICALLY CHALLENGED) and noted comedian Ben Schwartz (UNDERCOVERS) as Marty's corporate team; the legendary Glynn Turman (IN TREATMENT) as Marty's psychoanalyst father; and Donis Leonard Jr. (THE FRESH BEAT BAND) as Marty's young son.

Carnahan is no stranger to dark comedies, having created the provocative series DIRT, starring Courteney Cox as a blood thirsty tabloid editor. Carnahan's film SERPENT GIRL, based on his own novel and starring Armie Hammer, Malin Akerman, Kate Bosworth and Helen Hunt, will start production next year.