Hulu greenlights Phony, a coming-of-age mystery with Connie Britton and Sam Nivola

Hulu has officially picked up Phony to series, a half-hour coming-of-age mystery created by Nick Paley. Paley has writtten, directed, and edited the pilot of the series. He will also serve as executive producer alongside co-showrunner Anthony King.

The show stars Emmy-nominated actress Connie Britton as Ellen, a high school principal and single mother, and Sam Nivola as her son Sonny, a popular student who suspects something is very wrong after waking up in the hospital. The plot centers on Sonny’s realization that the woman claiming to be his mother might not be who she says she is, setting up the mystery at the heart of the show.

Phony comes from Drew Goddard’s Goddard Textiles and is produced by 20th Television. With a unique blend of teen drama and psychological twists, Phony adds another original to Hulu’s growing lineup of genre-bending shows driven by character-based storytelling.

Hulu orders Phony series starring Connie Britton and Sam Nivola

Hulu’s decision to greenlight Phony comes after the completion of its pilot, which was written, directed, and edited by Nick Paley. The show is described as a coming-of-age mystery with a twist, centered around a teenager named Sonny who suffers a car accident and begins to suspect the woman claiming to be his mother is someone else entirely.

Connie Britton’s role is expected to have an eerie complexity due to the impostor storyline, while Nivola’s character forms the emotional center of the show. The show will explore their bond and the fallout of Sonny believing his closest relationship has been faked.

The series has now been ordered as a full series under Hulu’s original programming slate. It will stream exclusively on Hulu once completed.

Anthony King has boarded the project as co-showrunner and executive producer. King brings experience from writing for shows like Search Party, The Afterparty, and Dead to Me, and has earned Tony nominations for Beetlejuice the Musical and Gutenberg! The Musical!. His involvement signals a focus on tight structure and tone.

Alongside King and Paley, the executive producer lineup includes Connie Britton, Drew Goddard, Sarah Esberg, and Charlie Alderman. Goddard and Esberg are producing through their company, Goddard Textiles. Alderman is attached via Charlie’s Production Company. All production is under the banner of 20th Television, which continues its partnership with Hulu on original scripted projects.

Nick Paley is best known for co-writing the Oscar-nominated animated feature Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. He also directed an episode of Broad City and worked on Inside Amy Schumer and Hack Into Broad City, for which he received two Primetime Emmy nominations. His background in offbeat humor and emotionally off-kilter premises suggests Phony will keep its tone grounded while pushing into bizarre territory.

Sam Nivola has been gaining attention for roles in The White Lotus Season 3, White Noise, and Maestro. He recently wrapped Driver’s Ed, set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. He’s also appeared in The Perfect Couple, Eileen, and The Pursuit of Love. Connie Britton’s resume spans Friday Night Lights, Nashville, American Horror Story, The West Wing, and, most recently, Zero Day on Netflix.

Phony will be structured as a half-hour series, combining mystery and teen drama in a way that focuses heavily on the psychological impact of Sonny’s discovery. While no release date has been announced, production is expected to begin soon.

The casting, showrunner additions, and platform backing make Phony one of Hulu’s more high-profile upcoming releases. Its premise, production team, and lead cast all point to a character-driven project with a tight scope and eerie emotional beats.

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