Series about Ethiopian-Ashkenazi families to become 'Culture Clash' - set in Minnesota.
By AMY SPIROUpdated: APRIL 8, 2018 21:48Nevsu(photo credit: RESHET)
Hollywood just can’t get enough of Israeli TV formats. Now Fox is adapting the Israeli series Nevsu for American audiences – and calling it Culture Clash.Nevsu, a Reshet comedy that began airing in Israel last year, tells the story of an Israeli man of Ethiopian descent married to an Ashkenazi woman and raising a daughter together along with their extended families. The show has received praise for its sensitive portrayal of race relations – and ability to still garner laughs.The show’s creators – Yossi Vasa, who also stars as the lead; Shy Ben-Atar and Liat Shavit – hoped the show would help build bridges between the often isolated communities.Fox is creating its own version of the show – this time set in Minnesota. The new series, titled Culture Clash, is set to feature an African refugee family, a traditional Midwestern clan and a marriage that joins the two together.Lee Daniels, the co-creator, executive producer and director of Fox’s show Empire is on board, as is Modern Family executive producer Vali Chandrasekaran. Nevsu’s original production company, Endemol Shine Israel, as well as Vasa, Ben-Atar and Shavit, are also taking part in the adaptation.Earlier this week, it was announced that actor and stand-up comedian Biniam Bizuneh will play the series’ lead role of Abel, alongside Beth Behrs – best known for 2 Broke Girls – as Jenny.“Very honored and excited to be a part of this!” Behrs wrote on Facebook last month after being cast in the show.Bizuneh posted the news on Instagram, and wrote: “And I’m playing a habesha! This is wild,” referring to an Ethiopian ethnic group.The pair will play alongside Lea Thompson, Matthew Glave, Charles Parnell and more. The series has a put pilot commitment from Fox, which makes it almost guaranteed to be picked up by the network.
