Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay, who teamed up on Oscar-nominated "Selma," will now work on a new television series. Winfrey heralded the news on her Twitter feed:
Credit: Jennifer Brett
Credit: Jennifer Brett
According to the announcement, placed with media outlets including Variety and Entertainment Weekly, the new show, based on the novel "Queen Sugar" by Natalie Baszile, will star Winfrey and will appear on Winfrey's OWN network.
“I loved this book and immediately saw it as a series for OWN,” Winfrey said in a statement. “The story’s themes of reinventing your life, parenting alone, family connections and conflicts, and building new relationships are what I believe will connect our viewers to this show.”
Said DuVernay: “From the moment I was introduced to the book, I was captivated by the idea of a modern woman wrestling with identity, family, culture and the echoes of history. To bring this kind of storytelling to life alongside Oprah for her network is wildly wonderful. I’m excited about what’s in store.”
The movie "Selma," which DuVernay directed, filmed largely in metro Atlanta and is nominated for a best picture and best original song Academy Award. Its ballad "Glory" won a best-song Golden Globe. Winfrey served as a producer and cast member. She's shown below in a scene that was filmed in Marietta, right near the Marietta-Cobb Museum of Art:
Credit: Jennifer Brett
Credit: Jennifer Brett
DuVernay, the first black woman to earn best-director honors at Sundance, was nominated for a best director Golden Globe. She and "Selma" star David Oyelowo, who was nominated for a best actor Golden Globe, will team up on a future project tackling Hurricane Katrina. They're shown below in this "Selma" still from Paramount:
Credit: Jennifer Brett
Credit: Jennifer Brett
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