Jim Gaffigan & Rhea Seehorn Unrolling Sci-Fi Comedy Drama ‘Linoleum’

Anthony D'Alessandro
·4 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Jim Gaffigan and Rhea Seehorn are starring in the upcoming sci-fi comedy drama feature Linoleum which recently wrapped production in New York under COVID-19 safety guidelines.

The film, written and directed by Colin West, is about the host of a failing children’s science TV show who attempts to fulfill his childhood dream of being an astronaut by building a rocket ship in his garage, all the while struggling to mend his relationship with his wife (Seehorn) and connecting surreal clues that not everything in his life is exactly how it seems. Chad Simpson’s Brain Scratch Productions partnered with Dennis Masel’s Storm City Films and Chadd Harbold to produce.

Stand-up comedian Gaffigan, who has been transitioning into a number of dramatic roles of late including Tesla, Them That Follow, and Chappaquiddick, plays dual roles in Linoleum as Cameron Edwin, the struggling amateur rocket engineer as well as his better looking, more successful, and mysteriously enigmatic neighbor, Kent Armstrong.

Seehorn of Better Call Saul plays Erin Edwin, Cameron’s strong-willed wife and the former co-host of his TV show, who has been struggling to feel appreciated both professionally and at home. Their teenage daughter, played by Katelyn Nacon (The Walking Dead), makes fast friends
with Kent’s son at school, played by Gabriel Rush (Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark), relating over their nonconforming sexual identities and navigating complex relationships with their parents.

Also appearing in the film is 4x Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Monk) as Dr. Alvin, a psychologist who helps Cameron navigate his mid-life crisis, as well as Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer), Amy Hargreaves (13 Reasons Why), Jay Walker (Run the World) and West Duchovny (Vegas High). Jessica Sherman served as Casting Director.

West recently co-wrote and directed the feature, Double Walker, and produced Survival Skills, which premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in 2020. His short films have played such fests as Cinequest, Fantasia, Raindance, Boston Sci-Fi, Calgary, and Chicago Underground. He was a recent Annenberg MFA Fellow at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Chad Simpson (Free Ride) developed and packaged the film, partnering with Chadd Harbold (Villains) to produce with Dennis Masel, whose Storm City Films financed. This will be Masel’s first film under Storm City, a venture formed with Executive Producer, Gabrielle Nadig (Little Woods). Masel’s previous film, The Giant, premiered at TIFF last year.

“I had such a great time working on Linoleum with this group of talented, exhausted, COVID-tested creatives. I’ve never been so excited to see the final cut of something I’ve worked on,” said Gaffigan.

“Linoleum is a deeply personal story that attempts to thread a lifetime of significant generational moments into one sort of cosmic tapestry of life events. Our crew’s boundless creativity and Jim’s nuanced, dual-role performance made it possible to tell this multilayered narrative” adds West.

“Colin’s screenplay strikes a personal chord with everyone who reads it, and working with this team to bring his vision to life has been a dream. Most of all, I’m proud of everyone for making the sacrifices necessary to put the health and safety of others first,” says Simpson.

Gaffigan recently became the first comedian on Pandora to cross 1 billion streams. He’s a five-time Grammy nominated comedian, two-time New York Times best-selling author, and two-time Emmy winning top touring performer, and multi-platinum-selling recording artist. This past summer he also starred in the Josh Hartnett action movie Most Wanted. He has clocked two season of the critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical The Jim Gaffigan Show, which he wrote and produced with his wife Jeannie. He also does regular humor commentaries on CBS Sunday.

Seehorn received a SAG ensemble nomination and a BFCA Critics Choice nom for her critically acclaimed turn as Kim Wexler, Saul Goodman’s complex lawyer g.f. on AMC’s Better Call Saul. Her TV series credits include Whitney, Veep, The Twilight Zone and Franklin & Bash. She can be seen in the upcoming Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini horror thriller Things Heard & Seen.

Gaffigan is represented by John Sacks at UTA and Alex Murray at Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Seehorn is represented by Randi Ross at Phoenix Artists and Alissa Vradenburg at Untitled Entertainment.

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