SCREEN ACTORS GUILD(R) AWARD NOMINEE JAKE LACY JOINS THE ENSEMBLE CAST OF THE NEW SHOWTIME(R) COMEDY "I'M DYING UP HERE"

NEW YORK - May 19, 2016 - Film and television star Jake Lacy has joined the ensemble cast of the new SHOWTIME one-hour comedy series I'M DYING UP HERE in a series regular role. Lacy will play a stand-up comic who gained some notoriety a few years back by blowing off The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on the night he was scheduled to appear. His issues with substance abuse and family tragedy inform his comedy as he tries to re-acclimate into the early '70s L.A. comedy scene. Though not everyone is quick to welcome him back, nor is he interested in conforming to their idea of what comedy is.

Lacy was recently seen opposite Oscar(R) nominee Rooney Mara in the Best Picture nominee Carol, the critically-acclaimed Todd Haynes film starring Cate Blanchett. His additional film credits include How To Be Single, Obvious Child, Intramural and Love, The Coopers. His upcoming films include Their Finest Hour and a Half and John Madden's Miss Sloane. He is best known to television audiences for his role as "Fran" on Girls, as "Casey" in Better With You, as well as his role as "Pete" on The Office, for which he was nominated for a 2013 Screen Actors Guild Award for best Ensemble in a Comedy.

Set in L.A.'s celebrated, infamous stand-up comedy scene of the 1970s, during which the careers of many of the comedy superstars began, I'M DYING UP HERE delves into the inspired and damaged psyches that are required to stand alone in front of an audience and make them laugh. From executive producer Jim Carrey, I'M DYING UP HERE stars Academy Award(R) winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter, Louie), Ari Graynor (For A Good Time Call), Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Office), Michael Angarano (The Knick), Andrew Santino (Mixology), RJ Cyler (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Al Madrigal (About A Boy, The Daily Show), Erik Griffin (Workaholics) and Stephen Guarino (Happy Endings) as part of a large ensemble cast.

I'M DYING UP HERE follows up and coming comedians in LA in the 1970s, who are mentored by "Goldie" (Leo), a brassy comedy club owner who rules over her business with an iron fist and nurtures her comedians with tough love. Graynor, Santino, Cyler, Madrigal, Griffin and Guarino star as the main stand-ups at the club. Angarano and Duke play ballsy young comedians from Boston who move to L.A. with the hopes of making it big. Emmy(R) Award nominee Alfred Molina (Chocolat), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Martian), Oscar nominee Robert Forster (Jackie Brown), Jon Daly (Kroll Show), Emmy nominee Dylan Baker (The Good Wife), Brianne Howey (Horrible Bosses 2), Ginger Gonzaga (Togetherness) and Oscar nominee Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull) guest star.

Produced by SHOWTIME, I'M DYING UP HERE is written and executive produced by Dave Flebotte (Masters of Sex, Will & Grace, Desperate Housewives), and executive produced by Golden Globe(R) winner Jim Carrey and Michael Aguilar (The Departed, Semi-Pro), and Christina Wayne (Copper) for Endemol Shine Studios and Assembly Entertainment. The pilot was directed by Jonathan Levine (50/50, The Night Before). I'M DYING UP HERE will shoot in LA this fall. The pilot is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by William Knoedelseder.