Universal shows Hill what's 'Best'

Actor to star in film 'Pam Rooney'

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Hill

Cohen

O'Brien

Universal Pictures has acquired "The Best Thing About Pam Rooney," a comic pitch for a feature to be written by Andrew Jay Cohen and Brendan O'Brien as a star vehicle for Jonah Hill.

Hill will produce the high-concept romantic comedy, and the scribes will be executive producers.

Like Hill, the writers come out of Judd Apatow's comedy factory. They were co-producers on Apatow's "Funny People," in which Hill is a star.

Hill recently completed the U comedy "Get Him to the Greek" -- in which the comic actor received his first gross participation, sources said. He shot an untitled comedy directed by Jay and Mark Duplass and made his first foray as a producer on "The Adventurer's Handbook," which he set up at U to write, star in and produce.

Cohen and O'Brien recently set their script "Moving In" at Montecito Picture Co. and Paramount for Cohen to direct. Cohen worked for Apatow as associate producer on "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Talladega Nights," and O'Brien was assistant to "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" producer Shauna Robertson.

Hill’s repped by WME, Principato Young and attorney Karl Austen. The writers are repped by CAA and manager Brian Lutz.