Starz network has announced a new romantic drama series in development that will star Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff, who will play polar opposites that are romantically drawn to each other. The untitled project has received a three-season script-to-series commitment from the network, meaning that all 18 half-hour episodes (six per season) will air if the show is greenlit. The series is being developed by Ava DuVernay’s Array Filmworks production company and Warner Bros. Television, with DuVernay, Ridloff, Jackson, and Paul Garnes serving as executive producers.
The series will tell the story of two people from different backgrounds who fall in love despite all social assumptions and personal expectations. Jackson and Ridloff have previously starred together on Broadway in the Children of a Lesser God revival, for which Ridloff received a Tony nomination. The series will be written by Kat Candler, who will also executive produce and showrun alongside DuVernay.
DuVernay has expressed her excitement about the project, stating, “On behalf of my producing partner Paul Garnes and everyone at Array Filmworks, I’m thrilled to develop this passion project with Lauren, Josh, and Kat. Starz and Warner Bros. Television have made a bold production commitment to immediately explore three seasons, and we’re revved up and ready to begin what I hope will be a beautiful journey for all involved.”
Starz president of original programming, Kathryn Busby, has also expressed her excitement about the upcoming series, noting that it exemplifies the network’s #TakeTheLead mission to improve representation on- and offscreen. The project was introduced by DuVernay at Starz’s inclusion-oriented #TakeTheLead Summit, where Ridloff and Jackson also had a spotlight conversation to discuss the project and its alignment with industry efforts to improve representation.
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