Fred Willard, Michael McKean, and Ed Begley Jr. Join Christopher Guest’s HBO Series FAMILY TREE

A few Christopher Guest regulars have joined the filmmaker’s upcoming HBO comedy series Family Tree.  The documentary-style show stars Chris O’Dowd as a man who, after inheriting a mysterious box from a great aunt he never met and losing his job and his girlfriend, begins exploring his family heritage.  THR reports that Fred Willard, Michael McKean, and Ed Begley Jr. have all signed on to appear on the series in recurring roles, with Don Lake set to guest star.  Willard, McKean, and Begley have all appeared in Guest’s stellar “mockumentary” films This Is Spinal Tap, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration, so this bodes extremely well for Family Tree.

The show was picked up straight-to-series by HBO with an eight-episode first season order.  Willard will play O’Dowd’s neighbor, McKean will play his father, and Begley is set as his Uncle Andy.  Hopefully this means Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, and Jane Lynch will pop up on Family Tree at some point as well.