Good news! Max Greenfield — that’s Schmidt from “New Girl” for the uninitiated (please initiate yourself!) — is about to play another nice Jewish boy on TV.
Greenfield, who is also a children’s book author, will play Lev Levy (according to Netflix’s Tudum) or Lev Levinson (according to Deadline) in the new basketball comedy “Running Point.” Greenfield will play the love interest of another Jewish star, actor and singer Kate Hudson, daughter of the legendary Goldie Hawn, who has previously opened up about her love for Judaism during a makeup tutorial, as one does. In “Running Point,” Hudson’s Isla Gordon becomes the president of the family business when her brother is forced to resign from that role. The family business in question? The beloved fictional basketball team, the Los Angeles Waves.
Gordon’s character is based on Los Angeles Lakers president and co-owner Jeanie Buss, who, along with Hudson, Mindy Kaling, Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, serves as executive producer for the series. Stassen, who previously worked on Mel Brooks’ “History of the World, Part II,” will serve as showrunner.
In the show, Greenfield’s Lev (the Hebrew word for heart and Russian for lion, and a very common Jewish name) will play Gordon’s #1 fan, cheerleader and fiancé, who is also a nice Jewish doctor, perhaps the nicest kind of Jewish doctor: a pediatrician. Brenda Song will play Ali Lee, the Waves’ chief of staff. Toby Sandeman plays the team’s most iconic player Marcus Winfield. Chet Hanks will play point guard and failed rapper Travis Bugg. The very funny Scott MacArthur (“The Mick”) and Drew Tarver (“The Other Two”) play Isla’s brothers who also work with the team. Basically, this show and its cast sound utterly delightful.
While Greenfield’s Lev is hardly the most important character of the show, we hope he will bring some JUDAISM (SON!) to this fun new comedy. (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help the Schmidt quote, quoting him is a mitzvah, bro!)
The first season of “Running Point” will premiere on Netflix on February 27.
