Australian actress Annabelle Stephenson will star in Lauren Iungerich's "Hot Mess."
MTV is expanding its relationship with the creator of its critical darling Awkward.
The cable network has picked up to pilot Hot Mess (working title), tapping Australian actress Annabelle Stephenson to star in the comedy created by Awkward showrunner Lauren Iungerich.
Hot Mess revolves around Amanda Marshall, who is her own worst enemy when it comes to love. She emotionally spirals, impulsively texts and proactively calls. She knows the rules but can't follow them because she can't help herself, but she's trying. She's a loveable "hot mess." After a run-in with her ex, Amanda finds herself caught between two guys, and despite her best efforts, continues her streak of self-sabotage one awkward dance-off and romantically sticky situation at a time.
Stephenson, whose credits include H20: Just Add Water and Rescue Special Opps, will play Amanda.
Awkward's Iungerich will executive produce alongside manager Robyn Meisinger and Kim Fleary. MTV co-head of scripted series Justin Levy, who shepherded the Ashley Rickards starrer for the network, will oversee for the cabler.
MTV renewed Awkward for a supersized third season featuring 20 episodes, nearly double the run of its first two runs. The series was also nominated for a People's Choice award for favorite cable TV comedy on Thursday.
Hot Mess marks Iungerich's third effort at the network and comes after her last pilot, Dumb Girls, was passed over at the network.
For MTV, the pilot comes as it launches new efforts Underemployed and Catfish, which bowed Monday to 2.7 million total viewers with a 2.6 rating among 12-34 -- the top series launch on MTV since recently renewed viral video series Ridiculousness.
Iungerich is repped by WME, Mad House Entertainment's Meisinger and McKuin Frankel. Stephenson is with Mark Morrissey and Associates and Intellectual Artists Management.
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They'll probably pair this with Awkward