Allison Janney Teases TV Return After ‘Mom’ Cancellation

Allison Janney is officially returning to your TV screens. Deadline reported that Janney has joined the cast of Mrs. American Pie, a series on Apple TV+ that also stars Kristen Wiig. It will mark one of her first TV roles since the end of the CBS comedy Mom. 

Mrs. American Pie is based on a book by Juliet McDaniel. It will follow Maxine Simmons, played by Wiig, as she attempts to secure a spot in Palm Beach high society. Janney will portray Evelyn, who is described as a full-time Palm Beach resident and a member of that very high society. Laura Dern, who is an executive producer on the project, is also reportedly eyeing a “key role.” Weeks after Deadline reported this news, Janney took to Instagram to confirm that she was back filming the project for Apple TV+. 

She posted a photo of herself posing with a script while on the set. In another, the cast and crew appear to be toasting to a special occasion. Alongside the images, Janney wrote, “Feels like the first day of school all over again. Cheers to new beginnings! Coming soon to Apple TV…” The news of Janney’s casting in Mrs. American Pie comes a little over a year after Mom was canceled. The CBS sitcom was canceled in the wake of longtime star Anna Faris’ exit after the seventh season. 

“For the past eight years, we’ve had the great honor to bring these wonderful characters to life, sharing their struggles and triumphs with millions of viewers every week,” executive producers Chuck Lorre, Gemma Baker, and Nick Bakay wrote about Mom‘s cancellation. “From the beginning, we set out to tell stories about recovery from alcoholism and addiction that are rarely portrayed in a network comedy series. Whether it was the emotional reactions of the live audience on tape night inside Stage 20, or discussions at the White House regarding the opioid crisis, or the personal stories we continue to receive on social media, we take great pride in knowing Mom has positively impacted so many lives. We are forever grateful to our brilliant cast and guest stars, wonderful writers, and amazing crew for going on this journey with us.” While Janney did share a petition in the hopes that CBS would reconsider its decision, Mom came to an end in May 2021 after eight seasons.