After too many years of playing second fiddle to other stars, Maria Bello is ending this year on a good note.
Bello just signed a deal with HBO to executive produce and star in a new, as-yet-untitled series. The story sounds familiar: A woman whose husband is killed begins a life of crime in order to support her family. She has three sons she uses as henchmen. I guess the family that kills together, chills together.
I’m not clear on how this concept is too different from Weeds, but I’m happy to see Bello in a lead role. She always seems to be somebody’s wife, although she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in The Cooler and Best Actress for A History of Violence. She also was on ER for a few seasons as Dr. Anna DelAmico.
Currently, Bello is in The Yellow Handkerchief with William Hurt and Kristen Stewart. The movie hasn’t been widely released, but reviews indicate that it’s one of the best indie films of the year.
A positive sign for Bello’s HBO series is that it’s created by Gary Lennon, creator of The Shield. Although The Shield got way too dark for me its last couple of years, I’d love to see Bello in a show of that quality. I mean, I’m always up for seeing more of Maria Bello.
