Comedian Iliza Shlesinger has starred in Netflix specials and in comedy films.
A leading international comedian and actress has applied to liquidate a New Zealand company that has been producing a comedy series featuring her as the headline talent.
US-based comedian Iliza Shlesinger - who has featured in several Netflix comedy specials and alongside actors such as Mark Wahlberg in films - was in New Zealand last year filming a show called Iliza Shelsinger: This Tastes Funny for Stripe Studios.
According to Stripe Studios’ website, the new series features 10 x 30-minute shows, all unscripted, and is “coming soon”.
A source told Media Insider that filming of the series has been completed but that post-production work has stopped.
A New Zealand Gazette notice, published on Friday, reveals Shlesinger applied in December to have Stripe Studios (Comedy) Ltd liquidated - usually a legal manoeuvre to seek any outstanding payment.
A High Court hearing for the application has been scheduled for March.
Stripe Studios (Comedy) has one listed director - Stripe Studios managing director Alex Breingan. He and Shlesinger are listed as executive producers of the new series.
Breingan did not respond to questions about Shlesinger’s application.
Companies Office records show he is a director and/or shareholder of more than 30 companies, more than half of which have Stripe in their title.
It is not uncommon in the film and television industry for separate production entities to be established for specific projects.
An Auckland-based lawyer acting for Shlesinger, Tim Mahood, said he could not comment, citing confidentiality.
In August last year, Shlesinger told Spy’s Ricardo Simich that she was in New Zealand with her husband, chef Noah Galuten, working on a secret project.
She was not ready to share details but, according to Simich, she had enjoyed time in Auckland, the Bay of Islands and Taupō.
“I was here working in February and was sad I didn’t have time to take in New Zealand,” she said at the time.
“I’m always flying from gig to gig and never see much more than the theatre, hotel and airport, but this time I thought, I’m not touring this month, so why not bring the family and spend some time exploring.”
Shelsinger has headlined six Netflix comedy shows, the latest in 2022. She has also featured in 10 films, including Spenser Confidential in 2020, alongside Wahlberg and Pieces of a Woman featuring Vanessa Kirby.
The notice of the liquidation application was published on the same day that Media Insider revealed that two post-production companies - Department of Post and Images and Sound - are allegedly owed six-figure sums for work that they had done on earlier series by Stripe Studios entities.
Department of Post worked on Hoff the Beaten Track, a unique Kiwi travel series starring American TV legend David Hasselhoff and Kiwi comedian Rhys Darby. That series, too, is also being promoted on Stripe Studios’ website but does not appear to have a release date.
It is understood both Department of Post and Images and Sound have sought legal advice, independently of each other.
Images and Sound director Grant Baker told Media Insider last week that his firm was owed money - a “relatively historical” debt.
He variously described the situation as unfortunate and frustrating, especially with the backdrop of a tough economic climate for the production industry. “We are hearing nothing apart from trying to chase Stripe. We are trying to think what next steps are.”
He says he has tried to stay in regular contact with Breingan.
Media Insider’s attempts to speak to Breingan directly last week were unsuccessful.
After some brief text exchanges through the day on Thursday, he said he could not provide “a substantive response in the unreasonable time provided”.
“However there are a number of factual errors in your txt and any such allegations would be both false and defamatory.”
He urged Media Insider to check its facts with its sources “as you appear to have been provided with false information”.
A source working with Schlesinger told Spy last year that she was a stellar talent and a fantastic creative to work alongside.
“Iliza even invited us to her holiday house in the States before we even met in person to work on this project,” the source told Spy. “She and Noah are a force to be reckoned with and when you see in the States how big she is, it’s very cool to spend some time with her in NZ. She is the biggest Netflix star on the planet, which is pretty cool.”