The Handmaid’s Tale’s Elisabeth Moss and Scandal favorite Kerry Washington are going to star opposite one another in a new series for Apple.
The iPhone maker/streamer has, following a bidding war, landed the television adaptation of Araminta Hall’s novel Imperfect Women with a straight-to-series order for the drama from Physical alum Annie Weisman.
Imperfect Women is described by Apple as an “unconventional, psychological thriller examining a crime that shatters the lives of a decades-long friendship of three women.” The series is a “mystery complicated by perspective that explores guilt and retribution, love and betrayal and the compromises we make that alter our lives irrevocably. As the investigation unravels, so does the truth about how even the closest relationships can change over time.”
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The series is a co-production between Disney’s 20th Television and Apple Studios. Weisman will adapt the novel and serve as writer and exec producer on the series, which keeps her in business with Apple following the three-season run of her dark comedy Physical, which starred Rose Byrne. Weisman is currently serving as the showrunner on the upcoming second season of Peacock’s Based on a True Story.
“I’m honored that Apple is once again trusting me to help bring complex, layered female characters to the screen,” said Weisman. “Elisabeth, Kerry and Araminta are the perfect collaborators to bring these Imperfect Women to life.”
Moss and Lindsey McManus and their Love & Squalor Pictures banner, who initially optioned the book, will exec produce alongside Washington and her Simpson Street partner Pilar Savone. Author Hall will also serve as executive producer. (Details on which characters Moss and Washington will play have not yet been revealed.)
“I couldn’t be happier that my book has found a home at Apple, home of some of my favorite programs,” said Hall. “And, to be working with Elisabeth and Lindsey is a dream. They have an incredible talent for storytelling and immediately understood my book in an exactly the way I meant it to be read. And then to have Kerry Washington on board is like a bonus on top of a bonus. My book couldn’t be in better hands.”
For Moss, Imperfect Women becomes her latest collaboration with Apple following Shining Girls. She also has the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale coming for Hulu. Her credits also include Mad Men and Top of the Lake.
“From the moment I received Araminta’s novel, I couldn’t put it down. It was such an electrifying read; I fell in love with it immediately,” said Moss. “I’ve admired Kerry and her work as an actor and producer for many years and have been looking for something to work with her on and was so thrilled that she responded to the material when we sent it to her and Pilar at Simpson Street. They were the first and only people we thought of. We are so happy that Apple and 20th Television agreed to partner with us on this, as well. It’s all an absolute match made in heaven.”
Washington, meanwhile, broke out with her role in Shonda Rhimes’ ABC political drama Scandal. More recently, the actress and producer, who has an overall deal with Disney, counts Hulu/Onyx Collective’s Unprisoned and Reasonable Doubt among her credits.
“I could not have been more thrilled to get this call from Elisabeth,” said Washington. “I have been an immense fan of hers — both as a brilliant actor and groundbreaking producer — for years. Elisabeth and Lindsey have impeccable taste, as evidenced by the way they have championed Araminta’s gripping novel, and I can’t think of a better person to bring this project to life onscreen than the amazing Annie Weisman. Imperfect Women is exactly the type of exciting, complex, raw storytelling we strive to create at Simpson Street. Pilar and I are tremendously inspired by the opportunity to team up with Love & Squalor Pictures, and we are thankful to everyone at Apple Studios and the team at 20th Television for believing in this project as much as we do.”
Imperfect Women joins a roster of Apple original dramas including The Morning Show, For All Mankind, Franklin, Masters of the Air, The New Look, Pachinko, Severance and Slow Horses.
Moss is repped by WME, Independent Talent Group, Ocean Avenue, Ribisi Entertainment Group and Hansen Jacobson. Washington is with CAA, Washington Square Films and Gretchen Rush. Weisman is with WME and Gendler Kelly. Hall is with WME, David Higham Associates and Frankfurt Kurnit.
