'Rushmore' star will play writer/private eye in pilot

Jason Schwartzman is "Bored," and for HBO that's a good thing.

The "I Heart Huckabees" and "Rushmore" star has taken the lead role in HBO's comedy pilot "Bored to Death." His casting lifts a contingency on the pilot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The show is one of the first pilots ordered by Sue Naegle, the new entertainment boss at the cable channel. She's also greenlit a dark comedy called "Hung" from director Alexander Payne.

In "Bored to Death," Schwartzman will play a struggling writer with a drinking problem who's just broken up with his girlfriend. Casting about for something to do, he places an ad offering his services as a private eye, hoping to emulate the likes of fictional detectives Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe.

The show will be Schwartzman's first TV work since he starred in FOX's short-lived comedy "Cracking Up" in 2004. His movie credits also include "The Darjeeling Limited" and "Marie Antoinette"; he's starting work on Judd Apatow's "Funny People" in the fall.

Jonathan Ames wrote the "Bored to Death" pilot and will executive produce with Dave Becky ("Everybody Hates Chris"), Sarah Condon and Stephanie Davis.