‘Veep’ Co-Star Says Julia Louis-Dreyfus Nearly Ready to Return After Cancer Treatment

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who is being treated for breast cancer, is almost ready to return to filming VEEP, according to co-star Tony Hale.

“She’s great,” Hale told Entertainment Tonight at the premiere for Love, Simon. “She’s going through her own journey, and man, we’ve been talking off and on. But we’re going to be ready to shoot in the summer. She’s really doing fantastic.”

In an interview with The Wrap at SXSW Saturday, Hale also gave a positive update on the beloved Seinfeld star’s health.

“Julia is going through her journey and she’s doing great, and we’ll probably pick it up again in the summer,” the two-time Emmy winner said.

Louis-Dreyfus announced her breast cancer diagnosis in September and continued working on the final season of VEEP through November. Production was put on hold while she underwent treatment.

The 57-year-old Louis-Dreyfus has continued to keep fans up to date with her cancer battle. On Feb. 14, she posted a gorgeous, first post-operation photo. “Hoorah! Great doctors, great results, feeling happy and ready to rock after surgery. Hey cancer, ‘F— you!’ Here’s my first post-op photo,” she wrote.

VEEP executive producer David Mandel and Louis-Dreyfus announced plans to end the political satire with its seventh season in 2018 before her breast cancer diagnosis. The plan was for the show to return in 2018, but her treatment forced the show to be pushed back to 2019.

“VEEP is on hiatus, we’ll start filming in August and it will air in 2019,” actor Matt Walsh told Entertainment Weekly. “We’ve known for about a month. We’ve seen [Julia], she’s done some table reads, she’s doing well, she’s finished her last chemo, she’s in recuperation. Her prospectives have remained excellent throughout. She’s very well loved; she’s a tremendous person.”

The series, created by Armando Iannucchi, has won 17 Emmys, including six for Louis-Dreyfus and two for Hale. It also won Outstanding Comedy Series in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

As for Hale, he can be seen in Love, Simon, which opens on March 16. He also starred in Sadie, which played at SXSW. He is expected to play Buster Bluth once again in the upcoming fifth season of Arrested Development.