Untitled Josh & Lauren Project
Ava DuVernay landed a three-year script-to-series commitment from Starz on a romantic drama series with fellow executive producers Lauren Ridloff (Eternals, The Walking Dead) and Joshua Jackson (When They See Us, Fatal Attraction) set to star. The news was announced at Starz‘s inaugural #TakeTheLead Summit where DuVernay, Ridloff, and Jackson spoke about the project. Queen Sugar alum Kat Candler was the showrunner, writing, directing, and executive producing the series.
The as-yet-untitled prospective series follows two polar opposites who become intertwined in a love affair that turns their worlds – and those of everyone around them – upside down.
The half-hour drama chronicles what it takes to fall and stay in a radical, rebellious love. One person is ambitious, while the other is restless. One is ready to commit, while the other debates the merits of relationships. One is Black and one is white. One is Deaf and one is not. Though wildly different, the two are emotionally and physically drawn to each other despite personal expectations and public assumptions. Their attraction passionately disrupts notions of race, gender, class, physical ability, and normative culture, elevating to true love that surpasses difference.
SEASON 1, EPISODES 5 & 6 (Season Finale) Marie served as the Producer-Director for the 6 episodes/entire first season that was shot before the WGA Strike.
PRESS
VARIETY
“Ava DuVernay’s untitled drama, starring and executive produced by Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff, is not moving forward at Starz, Variety has confirmed.
The series had begun filming in Wilmington, N.C., in March but was paused in May due to the WGA strike. Starz decided not to move forward with the series following DuVernay’s decision to walk away after her overall deal with Warner Bros. TV came to an end in May. Additionally, Starz has been making multiple series changes; in September, the network axed “Heels,” “Run the World” and “Blindspotting.” Plus, “The Venery of Samantha Bird,” which began filming, paused during the WGA strike and is not continuing.”
THE WRAP
“There is nothing like this series on TV and we are thrilled to be in development with Ava, a trailblazer and unparalleled champion of diversity. Lauren is a true inspiration and together with Joshua, a brilliant veteran actor, they will bring their incredible talents to this project – both in front of and behind the camera, Kathryn Busby, president, Original Programming, Starz, who moderated the conversation with Ridloff and Jackson, said. “This series exemplifies our #TakeTheLead mission, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“The network has given the untitled project a three-season script-to-series commitment, meaning that if greenlit, all 18 half-hour episodes (six per season) would air. Queen Sugar alumna Kat Candler will write the first episode, showrun and executive produce alongside DuVernay, Ridloff, Jackson and Array Filmworks president Paul Garnes.”