Join us for a 60-minute conversation with showrunners Justin Halpern ('Abbott Elementary,' 'Harley Quinn'), John Hoffman ('Only Murders in the Building,' 'Grace and Frankie'), Courtney Lilly ('Black-ish'), Meaghan Oppenheimer ('Tell Me Lies') and Patrick Schumacker ('Abbott Elementary,' 'Harley Quinn') to discuss what happens behind the scenes in the casting process of their hit shows. There will be an audience Q&A after. Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety.
BIOS:
Justin Halpern & Patrick Schumacker
Justin Halpern & Patrick Schumacker are Emmy-nominated Creators, Showrunners and Executive Producers through their company Delicious Non-Sequitur Productions with an overall deal at Warner Bros. Television. Series include HBO Max’s four-season animated hit 'Harley Quinn', which Halpern and Schumacker created for WBTV and DC Entertainment, in addition to its forthcoming spin-off 'Noonan's'. Justin and Patrick are also Executive Producers and Showrunners on Emmy Award-winning hit series 'Abbott Elementary' with Quinta Brunson, which was nominated for Best Comedy Series among other honors. Previously, Halpern and Schumacker Showran and EPed NBC’s 'Powerless' for WBTV and DC Entertainment. Prior to that, the duo co-created Fox’s 'Surviving Jack' as well as CBS’s 'S#*! My Dad Says', which was adapted for television based on Halpern’s New York Times bestselling book of the same name. Justin and Patrick have also been involved with such popular series as 'iZombie', 'Cougar Town', and 'How To Be a Gentleman'. They have recently finished writing the feature 'Birthright' based on the graphic novel by Joshua Williamson for Universal Pictures with Ruben Fleischer and Skybound producing.
John Hoffman
John Hoffman is a five-time Emmy nominee and the Co-Creator and Showrunner of 'Only Murderers in the Building' – a Hulu Original series, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. In total, the show has garnered 4 Emmy Awards, 12 Golden Globe nominations, 3 PGA nominations, 4 WGA nominations, 7 SAG nominations, 7 Critics Choice Award nominations, a Peabody Award nomination, as well as the AFI Award for TV Program of the Year in 2024.
Previously, Hoffman served as Executive Producer, Writer and Director for six seasons of 'Grace & Frankie', starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, on Netflix. Before that, he was Co-Executive Producer and Writer for the acclaimed HBO series, LOOKING, starring Jonathan Groff and Russell Tovey. He was Emmy-nominated for his writing work on the 2009 Academy Awards, and also wrote for the 2020 Oscars. Furthermore, Hoffman has developed for ABC, NBC, FOX and SHOWTIME, as well as three pilots for HBO.
For his first film, 'Northern Lights', Hoffman co-wrote (based on his original play), produced and co-starred with Diane Keaton. He then went on to make his writing-directing feature debut with the successful MGM/Jim Henson Studios family film, 'Good Boy'. As an actor, Hoffman made his Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated WELL by Lisa Kron. His TV credits include HBO’s 'The Larry Sanders Show', NBC’s 'Carol & Company', as well as series regular roles on Fox’s 'Fortune Hunter' and, most infamously, as the Mad Hatter in 100 episodes of the Disney Channel musical series 'Adventures in Wonderland'.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Ohio, Hoffman graduated with a BFA in Theatre from Hofstra University.
Courtney Lilly
Courtney Lilly, who renewed his overall deal with ABC Signature in 2020, has been with the Studio, part of Disney Television Studios, for nine years. In 2022, he wrapped showrunning the eighth and final season of 'black-ish', as well as the fifth season of 'grown-ish'. Lilly started his career as a writer on 'Arrested Development' and has written for shows such as 'My Boys', 'The Cleveland Show' and 'Undateable'. He won a Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship in 2000. Before that, he was a reporter for the Providence Journal-Bulletin. 'Black-ish' has been nominated for four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy as has won four NAACP Image Awards for Best Comedy Series. The show also won the prestigious Peabody Award in 2015.
Meaghan Oppenhiemer
Meaghan Oppenheimer is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of the Hulu drama series, 'Tell Me Lies', now in its second season. The series, also executive produced by Emma Roberts, is based on Carola Lovering’s 2018 novel of the same name and is a dark, sexy coming of age story that centers around a tumultuous but intoxicating relationship as it unfolds over the course of eight years. 'Tell Me Lies' has one of the highest social sentiments of recent Hulu TV series.
Next up, Meaghan will re-team with Hulu/20th Television to serve as creator/executive producer/showrunner of the half-hour dark comedy series, 'Second Wife', starring Emma Roberts and Tom Ellis. Meaghan’s other screenwriting credits include 'Fear the Walking Dead', 'Queen America', 'We Are Your Friends', 'Hot Mess' and others.
