THE STARS ALIGN FOR THE CW'S "WOULD I LIE TO YOU?" WITH AASIF MANDVI AS HOST, MATT WALSH AND SABRINA JALEES AS TEAM CAPTAINS AND A STELLAR LINE-UP OF CELEBRITY GUESTS
Peabody Award-Winning Actor, Writer, Creator, Comedian, Author, Producer
Aasif Mandvi Set To Host and Executive Produce New, Original Comedy Panel Show
Emmy Nominated Actor, Writer, Comedian Matt Walsh and
Actor, Writer Sabrina Jalees Named As Team Captains
To Lead their Panel of Celebrity Guests in Deciphering Fact from Fiction
Celebrity Guests Include Brooke Shields,
Emmy Nominated Actor, Writer, Late Night Talk Show Host Amber Ruffin,
Tony Award-Winning Actor and Singer Laura Benanti,
Actor, Writer, Comedians Michael Ian Black, Andrea Martin, Julie Klausner, Jordan Klepper, Adam Pally, Chris Gethard, Dulcé Sloan, and Former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara
December 9, 2021 (Burbank, CA) ─ Actor, writer, comedian Aasif Mandvi ("Evil") is set to host The CW's new alternative series, WOULD I LIE TO YOU? where he also serves as an executive producer, the network announced today. Joining Mandvi are Emmy(R) nominated actor and comedian Matt Walsh ("Veep") and actor and writer Sabrina Jalees ("Canada's Got Talent") who have been named team captains, leading opposing pairs of celebrity guests who must determine who is sharing facts and who is full of fiction in each episode on the comedy panel series produced by Truly Original executive producers Glenda Hersh and Steven Weinstock, and "Evil" executive producers Robert and Michelle King. The premiere of WOULD I LIE TO YOU? will be announced at a later date.
Based on the original, hit British series of the same name, WOULD I LIE TO YOU? is a hilarious comedy panel show that elevates the "art of lying," featuring lightning-quick team captains joined by a stellar cast of celebrity guests, including including Brooke Shields ("Jane the Virgin"), Emmy(R) nominated actor, writer and talk show host Amber Ruffin ("The Amber Ruffin Show"), Tony Award-winning actor and singer Laura Benanti ("Gossip Girl"), actor, writer, comedians Michael Ian Black ("Wet Hot American Summer"), Andrea Martin ("Evil"), Julie Klausner ("Difficult People"), Jordan Klepper ("The Daily Show with Trevor Noah"), Adam Pally ("Happy Endings"), Chris Gethard ("Space Force"), Dulcé Sloan ("The Daily Show with Trevor Noah"), as well as former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, who weave elaborate tales... that may or may not be the truth. Competing teams, one led by Walsh and the other by Jalees, then ask questions and watch body language to determine which are outrageous but true, and which are made-up stories.
"As a person of Indian descent, I couldn't be happier to finally steal something from the British," said Mandvi. "As a performer I couldn't be happier to partner with Robert and Michelle King, Truly Original and the whole creative team to every week host a half hour of pure silliness and joy."
Mandvi is a Peabody Award winning actor, writer, creator, comedian, author and producer. Mandvi is currently starring in two critically acclaimed television series, "Evil," and U.K. series "This Way Up." He is also widely known for his work as a correspondent on the multi-Emmy(R) Award winning "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Additionally, he is currently shooting an untitled film from director Sammi Cohen with Megan Mullally. He also lends his voice to the character of Sahil on "Mira, Royal Detective" and hosts a podcast, "Lost at the Smithsonian."
His varied career and diverse credits include: "Sakina's Restaurant" the one-man show which he also created; a lead role in the Merchant Ivory film "The Mystic Masseur"; Broadway musical "Oklahoma!"; "Analyze This" opposite Robert DeNiro; "Spider-Man 2"; "The Internship"; "Million Dollar Arm"; the first correspondent of color on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart"; writer producer and star of "Halal in the Family" a web series addressing Islamophobia which won a Peabody Award; writer, producer and star of the geopolitical thriller "The Brink" with Jack Black and Tim Robbins; writer and star of the indie rom-com "Today's Special"; and author of the memoir "No Land's Man" published by Chronicle Books. Mandvi originated the leading role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Ayad Ahktar play "Disgraced" at Lincoln Center, which earned him a Lucille Lortelle nomination. Aside from his art, Mandvi works closely with the ACLU defending individual rights and liberties including the 2017 All-Star Deportation Jamboree fundraiser for the organization that he hosted and produced. Mandvi is repped by Sweet 180, UTA, Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman and the Initiative Group.
Matt Walsh is a two-time Emmy-nominated actor from the award-winning comedy series "Veep." He is also one of the UCB 4, the founding members of the famed national improv-sketch comedy theatre Upright Citizens Brigade. UCB is based in Los Angeles and is the largest unaccredited university in the nation teaching improv performance and sketch writing technique.
Walsh can currently be seen in the upcoming film "Unplugging," which he produced, co-wrote and stars in opposite Eva Longoria. He recently wrapped production on "Not An Artist," in which he, again, stars and also wrote and produced. Finally, Walsh will be seen in the new "Father of the Bride" film scheduled to be released in 2022. In addition to his film and TV work, Walsh is a charitable founder of Gender Nation, which puts LGBTQ affirming books in elementary schools around the country. He also organizes an annual golf charity tournament called the Turkey Bird Classic, which benefits Defy Ventures, an organization that helps formerly incarcerated men and women "transform their hustle," teaching them skills and providing education and mentorship that gives them a second chance at life.
Sabrina Jalees can most recently be seen as a judge on "Roast Battle Canada," on her own quarter-hour comedy special, "The Comedy Lineup," and in the series "Carol's Second Act." She has also appeared on "Search Party," where she also served as a story editor. Additional appearances include "Transparent," "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore," "Last Comic Standing," "Adam Devine's House Party," and "Best Week Ever." Behind the camera, Jalees was a consulting producer on "Human Resources" and on animated series "Big Mouth," where she also served as executive story editor. Jalees was a co-producer on the animated series "Harley Quinn," as well as on the reboot of popular children's series, "Fraggle Rock." She was also an executive story editor on the popular series "The Mayor."
Originally created by Banijay U.K. label Zeppotron, Banijay's Emmy Award-winning Truly Original is producing the new, original WOULD I LIE TO YOU? series in association with King Size Productions, CBS Studios and Fat Mama Productions, with executive producers Glenda Hersh ("Ink Master"), Steven Weinstock ("Deal or No Deal"), Robert King ("Evil"), Michelle King ("Evil"), Liz Glotzer ("Evil"), Aasif Mandvi ("Evil"), Michelle Schiefen ("Family Karma") and Jim Biederman ("Join Or Die with Craig Ferguson"), who also serves as the showrunner of the series.
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