Audible and Broadway Video Enterprises, the global entertainment and media company, today announced two new original comedy podcasts featuring A-list casts set to premiere this fall: The Best Man’s Ghostwriter, starring Glen Powell and Nicholas Braun, and Stranded, starring Taraji P. Henson and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Debuting on September 12, The Best Man’s Ghostwriter follows the story of Nate (Glen Powell), a speechwriter-for-hire who helps people write incredible best man speeches. To keep the best man from embarrassing himself, Nate uses his list of Don’ts: don’t mention the exes, don’t be rated R, and don’t bum everyone out, the list goes on. Nate’s system never fails. That is until he meets Dan (Nicholas Braun), the hopelessly awkward best man for a mega social influencer. On top of that, Nate needs to find a best man for his own wedding – forcing him to confront a brutal friendship breakup with his best friend. As Nate works with Dan, he explores the often idiotic world of male friendship and must come up with an answer to the one question most men never think about: why is their best friend their best friend?
Featuring an all-star cast including Ashley Park, D’Arcy Carden, Lance Bass, Zach Braff, Lukas Gage, Alex Wolff, Debra Messing, George Takei, Jack McBrayer, Nicole Byer, Zach Cherry, Lennon Parham, Neil Flynn, Jason Mantzoukas, Ben Marshall, John Higgins, Martin Herlihy, Jonathan Van Ness, Sherri Shepherd, and more, The Best Man’s Ghostwriter is a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt audio show written and directed by comedian and former real-life best man’s ghostwriter, Matthew Starr. It is executive produced by Britta von Schoeler and produced by Mark Valdez, Matthew Starr, and Glen Powell.
Stranded, created and directed by Chris Bruno and David Howard Lee, and written with Shukri R. Abdi, is set to premiere on November 7. Joining Henson and Ellis Ross is a renowned ensemble cast including Lamorne Morris, Jay Ellis, Tim Robinson, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, Larry Wilmore, Keith David, Ashley Nicole Black, Mikey Day, Zazie Beetz, Nicole Byer, Phylicia Rashad, Phil LaMarr, and more. The series is executive produced by Britta von Schoeler and produced by Gabriella Mezzacappa and Eddie Michaels. In Stranded, separated by twenty years, three thousand miles, and the unrelenting stresses of adulthood, best friends Janet (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Serena (Taraji P. Henson) plan a girls trip to reconnect. But after their party boat crashes, they’re the lone survivors to wash ashore on an uncharted Caribbean cay. Armed with zero survival skills, they must overcome rough seas, deadly wildlife, and, most terrifyingly, decades of accrued resentment to find their way home. As long as they don’t kill each other first.
“Bringing The Best Man’s Ghostwriter to life was a blast,” said Glen Powell. “I wanted to produce a heartfelt and hilarious story about the highest stakes moment for any friendship…the best man’s speech. And even better I got to act alongside my most talented friends.”
Taraji P. Henson added, “Joining forces with Tracee Ellis Ross and our hilarious ensemble cast on Stranded has been a dream. I’m excited to share this laugh-out-loud, sidesplitting story with Audible listeners everywhere.”
These titles will join the robust slate of audio-only scripted original comedy series from Audible and Broadway Video Enterprises, including Hot White Heist starring Bowen Yang; Excessive starring Chloe Fineman and Joshua Jackson; Trust Fall starring Colin Jost and Wanda Sykes; Yes We Cannabis starring Sam Richardson and Method Man; Michelle Rojas Is Not Okay starring Dascha Polanco; Past My Bedtime starring David Harbour; Hit Job starring Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson; New York Times Audio Fiction Best-Seller Escape from Virtual Island starring Paul Rudd, Jack McBrayer, Amber Ruffin and Paula Pell; New York Times Audio Fiction Best-Seller Heads Will Roll created by and starring Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne, featuring Tim Gunn, Meryl Streep and Peter Dinklage; 64th Man, starring John Cena and Anna Chlumsky; Holiday Greetings from Sugar and Booze starring Ana Gasteyer and Maya Rudolph, Lem Can Help starring Fred Armisen and Christmas Delivery starring Gillian Jacobs and Sam Richardson.
