“CODA” and “Little America” director Siân Heder will expand her partnership with Apple, inking a multi-year overall deal to write and develop series exclusively for the tech giant’s streaming platform. Under the terms of the deal, Apple will also have a first look at features penned by the Sundance Grand Jury Prize award-winning writer.
Per the logline, the highly anticipated Apple Original film “CODA,” which is set to make its global premiere in theaters and on Apple TV Plus on Aug. 13, follows 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones), who’s the sole hearing member of a deaf family – a CODA, Child of Deaf Adults. Her life revolves around acting as an interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the family’s struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams.
“Coda” is the first film to be honored with four awards following its Sundance Film Festival debut: the special jury award for ensemble cast, the directing award, the audience award and the grand jury prize.
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Heder is also an executive producer and co-showrunner on the NAACP and Independent Spirit Award-nominated Apple original anthology series “Little America,” which is inspired by the true stories featured in Epic Magazine. The show goes beyond the headlines to bring to life the funny, romantic, heartfelt and surprising stories of immigrants in America. “Little America” is written and executive produced by Lee Eisenberg, who serves as showrunner alongside Heder. Kumail Nanjiani, Emily V. Gordon, Alan Yang, Joshuah Bearman, Joshua Davis and Arthur Spector executive produce alongside Heder.
Prior to collaborating with Apple, Heder wrote and produced for three seasons of Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black,” and received multiple WGA nominations for her work on the groundbreaking show for the streamer. Her other credits include TNT’s “Men of a Certain Age” starring co-creator Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher. She has also directed episodes of Netflix’s “Glow” and Hulu’s “The Path.” Her debut feature film, “Tallulah,” starring Elliot Page and Allison Janney, premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.
Heder is repped by ICM Partners, Mosaic Media Group and attorney Mitch Smelkinson.
