Tish Cyrus’ HopeTown Banner Sets Executive Team and First Projects Under NBCU Pact

Tish Cyrus, mother to actress and pop star Miley Cyrus and HopeTown Entertainment president, has set her production banner’s executive team and is announcing its initial slate of projects under its recent first-look TV deal with NBCU Television and Streaming. HopeTown Entertainment, known for creating movies such as “The Last Song,” “LOL” and “So Undercover,” has named Dannah Axelrod as head of development, Samantha Green as director of development and Sarah Lieberman as manager of development. Its first two scripted projects include an animated series described as a re-imagining of “The Beverly Hillbillies” and a mother/daughter dramedy written and directed by Courtney Hoffman (“Ruthless”).

“Kentucky Blaze,” the Hoffman-helmed show, follows a country music manager who returns home to Ashland, Kentucky after her estranged father dies, starts a cannabis business and helps revive her mother’s career. The animation project, which remains untitled, is created by Sivert Glarum and Michael Jamin, alums of “Maron” and “King of the Hill,” and will be loosely based on the misadventures of the Cyrus family. It is produced by HopeTown along with Shadow Machine and Bill Schultz. Original music will be written by Tyler Hilton and Jaco Caraco for the series.

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HopeTown’s scripted show experience includes the production of “Cyrus vs. Cyrus” on Bravo, where Tish and her daughter, actress and DJ Brandi Cyrus, proposed interior design ideas to clients, as well as a one-hour long performance special for Peacock (“Miley Cyrus Presents Stand By You”) in which Miley took to the stage with a number of queer country stars like Brothers Osborne and allies like Little Big Town to celebrate all things LGBTQ pride. Up next, HopeTown will be producing “Miley’s New Years Eve Party,” hosted by Miley and Pete Davidson, alongside Miley Cyrus, Lorne Michaels, Lindsay Shookus and Den of Thieves for NBC and Peacock. Axelrod comes to HopeTown from Cartel Pictures, where she helped develop and set up multiple movies in the TV and streaming space; Green was previously staffed on Showtime’s “The Circus” and MTV’s “Promposal” before joining HopeTown in 2018; Lieberman was in the non-scripted TV department at WME before heading to HopeTown in 2019.

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