Stylish 13-Episode Series from Sony Pictures Television is Created by JOSH BERMAN and Executive Produced by BERMAN, ALEX TAUB, CRAIG ZADAN, NEIL MERON and DAVID PETRARCA

Ensemble Cast Includes MARGARET CHO, JACKSON HURST, KATE LEVERING, APRIL BOWLBY, JOSH STAMBERG and Features BROOKE D'ORSAY and BEN FELDMAN

Season Guest Stars Include ROSIE O'DONNELL, TIM GUNN, SHARON LAWRENCE, KATHY NAJIMY, JORJA FOX, TERI POLO, ELLIOTT GOULD, CHUCK WOOLERY and DIEDRICH BADER

LOS ANGELES, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Sometimes life throws you "curves," so, on Sunday, July 12 at 9PM ET/PT get ready for Lifetime Television's premiere of Drop Dead Diva. The one-hour, comedic drama tells the story of a shallow model-in-training who dies in a sudden accident only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney. Television newcomer and stage actress Brooke Elliott (Wicked, Taboo) stars alongside Margaret Cho (Notorious C.H.O.), Jackson Hurst (The Tree of Life), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me), Brooke D'Orsay (How I Met Your Mother) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man). The 13-episode series - not simply a "feel good" show, but rather a "feel everything" comedy - joins Lifetime's Sunday night line up featuring Army Wives, the #1 rated and most watched original drama on cable among women 18-49.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090608/LA29276)

ABOUT DROP DEAD DIVA

When beautiful-but-vapid model wannabe Deb (D'Orsay) has a fatal car accident, she suddenly finds herself in front of Heaven's gatekeeper, Fred (Feldman), who declares her a self-centered "zero." Outraged, she attempts to persuade Fred to return her to her shallow existence but is accidentally relegated to the body of the recently deceased Jane Bingum (Elliott). A brilliant, thoughtful and plus-size attorney with a loyal assistant, Teri (Cho), Jane has always lived in the shadow of her more comely colleagues whereas Deb has always relied on her external beauty. Now, by a twist of fate and a bolt of divine intervention, Deb must come to terms with inhabiting Jane's curvier frame in the ultimate showdown between brains and beauty.

Guest stars throughout the first season of Drop Dead Diva include Rosie O'Donnell, Tim Gunn, Sharon Lawrence, Kathy Najimy, Jorja Fox, Teri Polo, Elliott Gould, Chuck Woolery and Diedrich Bader.

Drop Dead Diva showcases Lifetime's long-standing commitment to raising awareness about issues that matter most to women. In partnership with women's non-profit organizations, including Step Up Women's Network and The National Association of Women Lawyers, Lifetime will guide a public discussion about stereotypes, work/life balance and being healthy at every size. In collaboration with self-esteem and body image expert and author Jess Weiner, viewers will be driven each week to mylifetime.com for "toolkits" that will lead positive, entertaining and informative discussions about the issues that each episode raises.

Drop Dead Diva is produced by Sony Pictures Television for Lifetime Television. Josh Berman (Bones, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) is creator and executive producer. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Academy Award-winning Chicago, Hairspray, Lifetime's Living Proof) of Storyline Entertainment are executive producers. Alex Taub (Eli Stone) is executive producer and show runner and David Petrarca (Brothers and Sisters) is a director and executive producer. Thania St. John (Eureka) is a consulting producer as are the team of Jeanette Collins and Mimi Friedman (Big Love).

ABOUT SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment around the world and for every platform: broadcast and cable television, first-run and off-network syndication and digital distribution. In addition to one of the industry's largest libraries of feature films and television shows, SPT boasts a current program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. Internationally, SPT is a leader in local language productions around the world, some of which are co-produced with local partners and sells SPE-owned formats in approximately 70 countries. To better serve its clients and partners worldwide, SPT maintains offices throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, the People's Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Venezuela and the United Kingdom. SPT's worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with 114 channel feeds, which are available in more than 130 countries reaching almost 400 million households worldwide. SPT also creates original content for and manages SPE's premium video website, Crackle. Additionally, SPT is a part owner of cable channel GSN, FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service, and national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT advertiser sales is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT's syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States, for Sony Music Entertainment and for the Tennis Channel. SPT (www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

ABOUT LIFETIME TELEVISION

Lifetime is a diverse, multi-media company, committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming that celebrates, entertains and supports women. Through its award-winning public affairs initiatives, the Company also advocates a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (which includes myLifetime.com, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com, DressUpChallenge.com and MothersClick.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Photography is available at www.lifetimepress.com.

SOURCE Lifetime Television

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