Sometimes news comes out that we’re really happy about and this would be one of those times. Why? Well because one of the nicest actors in Hollywood book a new role. Shane Paul McGhie (Poker Face, The Last Shift) and Dasan Frazier (A Different World, Delphi) are set as the leads in Issa Rae’s new project – a half hour comedy project at HBO.
The project? The premise?
Untitled Male Friendship Show centers on Menzel (McGhie), a 28-year-old barber, aspiring sports manager, and ride-or-die best friend to JB (Frazier), a 27-year-old boxer on the rise. Set against the high-stakes world of professional boxing in Las Vegas, the series follows the two friends as they chase success while confronting the insecurities, loneliness, and complicated pressure that can come with ambition.
At its heart, this sounds like more than a boxing series. It is a story about friendship—what it means to support someone else’s dream, how success can change the balance of a relationship, and whether two people can hold onto each other when one of them begins to outgrow the life they once shared.
Prentice Penny—one of the key creative forces behind Insecure alongside Issa Rae—will serve as showrunner, executive producer, and director of the pilot for the untitled male-friendship series. His involvement is especially exciting because he knows how to bring humor, vulnerability, and the complicated realities of friendship to the screen in a way that feels honest, messy, and deeply relatable.
We have to admit that though we’re always excited for anything Issa Rae, we’re excited to see McGhie back on our screens.
