HBO Max Renews Starstruck for a Third Season; Max Original Comedy Series from Issa Rae Debuts July 21

Tuesday, June 14, 2022

HBO Max Renews Starstruck for a Third Season; Max Original Comedy Series from Issa Rae Debuts July 21

The Max Original comedy Starstruck, created by comedian and writer Rose Matafeo, has been renewed for a third season by HBO Max and co-producer BBC Three. The series is co-written by Matafeo, Alice Snedden and Nic Sampson, with Matafeo and Snedden also directing. Seasons one and two are available to stream on HBO Max.

Starstruck follows Jessie (Matafeo), a millennial living in East London juggling two dead end jobs and navigating the complications of becoming romantically involved with famous film star Tom (Nikesh Patel), and follows the couple as they realize they can't keep away from each other. The ensemble cast previously included Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) and Russell Tovey.

Consistently receiving huge critical praise across the globe, Starstruck has been nominated for Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards 2022, and Best Comedy Series at the Edinburgh TV Awards 2021, while Matafeo has received nominations from BAFTA 2022 for Female Performance in a Comedy Programme, and a National Comedy Award 2021 for Best Breakthrough Artist. Starstruck was highlighted by Rotten Tomatoes as their #3 best TV show of the year, featured in the Guardian’s ‘Top 10 Best Shows of 2021’, AV Club’s ‘Top 8 Great TV Hidden Gems’, Decider’s ‘Best TV Shows of the Year’, as well as highlighted as one of the best shows to watch in Decider, New York Times, Paste Magazine, NME, Thrillist, Washington Post, CNET, The Guardian, The I, The Telegraph, Stylist, Vulture, Concrete Playground, Rotten Tomatoes, Time Magazine, Buzzfeed, Chicago Tribune, Paper City Mag, Mashable, Hollywood Reporter, NPR, Star Tribune, Jezebel, TV Insider, TV Guide, Boston Globe, and Bustle, while Matafeo was featured in Variety’s ‘Best Performances of 2021’, The Times’s ‘Top 10 Funniest Actors on TV.’

Rap Sh!t

The Max Original comedy series Rap Sh!t, from Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Issa Rae, will debut Thursday, July 21 with two episodes. The eight-episode season continues with one episode each week, concluding September 1.

Rap Sh!t follows two estranged high school friends from Miami, Shawna (Aida Osman) and Mia (KaMillion), who reunite to form a rap group. Jonica Booth, Devon Terrell and RJ Cyler will also star.

Rap Sh!t is executive produced by Issa Rae and showrunner Syreeta Singleton, as well as Montrel McKay for HOORAE, Jonathan Berry and Dave Becky for 3 Arts Entertainment, and Deniese Davis. Rae also wrote the premiere episode and co-wrote the finale episode with Singleton. Hip hop duo Yung Miami and JT of City Girls serve as co-executive producers, along with Kevin “Coach K” Lee and Pierre “P” Thomas for Quality Control Films and Sara Rastogi for HOORAE. Rae’s audio content company Raedio handles music supervision for the series.