Bunim/Murray Signs Amanda Seales to Residency Deal

Bunim/Murray Productions (BMP) has signed comedian and actress Amanda Seales and her Smart, Funny & Black production company to the Banijay-owned studio’s first-ever residency deal.

Seales, who currently stars in HBO’s hit series Insecure, will develop, produce and potentially star in both scripted and unscripted series with BMP. The first project to come from the partnership is the scripted series Amanda Seales is Difficult.

The residency is a bespoke program designed for talented creators, producers and visionaries who desire the creative services of Bunim/Murray to help realize their vision. BMP residents will have full access to the studio’s development team and production services throughout their tenure with the goal of creating, developing and selling content crafted with their POV.

“Amanda was the inspiration for us to create the residency program, as she embodies the perfect partner for Bunim/Murray—a brilliant comedienne, talented writer, an entrepreneurial producer and a thought provocateur,” said Julie Pizzi, president of Bunim/Murray Productions. “Amanda is a force of nature in the entertainment industry and our goal is to create a partnership that is advantageous for both her Smart, Funny & Black brand and BMP.”

“This residency with the team at Bunim Murray is a major elevation opportunity for Smart Funny & Black Productions, which has grown from the ground-up, rooted in using comedy to strengthen community,” added Seales. “And what’s exciting about working with BMP, is that they’re not only mavericks in the unscripted space, but they’re also actively expanding their slate to other formats. I’m incredibly excited to be a driving force in bringing Black comedic narratives and joyful stories to the screen via my scripted and unscripted projects that span from competition formats to talking head and to whatever other dopeness the SFB/BMP squad and I drum up!”