Production of Veep's final season has been delayed as the HBO show's star Julia Louis-Dreyfus continues her breast cancer treatments.
The 56-year-old Emmy-winning actress had revealed her diagnosis in September and has since undergone at least three rounds of chemotherapy. Her Veep co-stars have rallied behind her amid her battle. Executive Producer Frank Rich recently gave an update on the actress and the show in an interview on the Sirius XM radio show The Press Pool.
"I can tell you that Julia is undergoing treatment for breast cancer and we're obviously postponing production of the show. We were supposed to have started now while she's in treatment, but the expectation is that we will shoot again. We have one more season we're doing, which we're incredibly excited about."
Veep's sixth season finished airing in June. The series upcoming seventh season, set to air in 2018, will be its last.
"Rather impressively, while we wait for her to gather her full strength, around her treatment, we've been having with the cast in Los Angeles, table reads of scripts for the final season as they're ready," Rich said. "So it's been quite something because she's fighting a serious, what is for anybody, a real illness, and yet, wants to keep working as much as circumstances allow without being crazy about it. I've seen her as recently as 10 days ago, and watched her just be hilarious playing Selina Meyer, with the cast all around her playing the assorted group of idiots that Selena has to deal with on a weekly basis on the show."
"She's got a great support system," he said. "She's a very strong person and we can't wait to welcome her back at full speed."
Since she revealed her diagnosis, Louis-Dreyfus' co-stars have recorded inspirational videos to boost the spirits of their friend.
Tony Hale and Timothy Simons appear in a video posted in October, set to Katy Perry's "Roar."
Last week, just before undergoing her third chemotherapy treatment, Louis-Dreyfus posted a video she received showing Sam Richardson and Matt Walsh dancing to Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger."
"2 of my darling Bozos (love them so much) psyche me up for 3rd chemo today," she tweeted. "And guess what? It worked! I'm psyched AF. @SamRichardson @mrmattwalsh."