Rock, Martin to do projects for Fox

LOS ANGELES - Fox has ordered comedy pilots from Chris Rock and Steve Martin, and has cast Andy Richter as the father of quintuplets in a sitcom.

The untitled Rock project is described as an autobiographical coming-of-age comedy loosely based on his experience growing up “on the nicest block in the ghetto.”

Martin, meanwhile, will serve as an executive producer of an untitled project about a multigenerational Cuban-American family in Miami, as seen through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy. the project comes from Mark Perez, who has two high-profile feature projects in the works: “Accepted,” which Tom Shadyac is attached to direct, and “The Hardy Men,” to star Ben Stiller.

The untitled Richter comedy centers on 15-year-old quintuplets living in a three-bedroom suburban house. It was written by Mark Reisman. Richter, a former sidekick to Conan O’Brien, most recently starred in Fox’s short-lived comedy ”Andy Richter Controls the Universe.”

In other pilot casting news, Dominic Monaghan, Ian Somerhalder, Jorge Garcia and Evangeline Lilly will play castaways in J.J. Abrams’ drama “Lost” for ABC; Mykelti Williamson is close to joining ABC’s drama “The Secret Service”; Marisa Coughlan has been tapped as the lead in ABC’s “Kat Plus One”; and Mitch Rouse has been tapped as a lead in an untitled NBC comedy.

“Lost” centers on the aftermath of a plane crash on a desert island. Monaghan is best known for his role as hobbit Merry Brandybuck in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

“The Secret Service” revolves around a married woman (Sarah Wayne Callies) who works for the clandestine government agency. Williamson, who recently co-starred on NBC’s “Boomtown,” will play a senior agent.

“Kat Plus One” centers on a young New York publicist (Coughlan) whose life turns upside down when she has to raise her nephew (Jimmy Bennett) when his parents suddenly die. Coughlan’s credits include the features “Super Troopers” and “Teaching Mrs. Tingle.” Bennett was in “Daddy Day Care.”

Rouse’s untitled NBC comedy centers on the relationship between a womanizer writer (Rouse) and his newly divorced father (Tim Conti). Rouse’s credits include the series “Lost at Home” and “The Secret Lives of Men.”

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