Television

Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne Sign First-Look TV Deal with Amazon

Rudolph on "Late Night with Seth Meyers"

Maya Rudolph and Natasha Lyonne’s newly formed production banner just scored a major deal. Animal Pictures is going into business with Amazon Studios, Variety reports. The pact sees the duo developing original series for the streamer.

Both currently star on series for streamers: Rudolph on Amazon’s relationship comedy “Forever,” which she also exec produces, and Lyonne on Netflix’s prison dramedy “Orange Is the New Black.” After this upcoming season of “OITNB” — its seventh and last — Lyonne will topline “Russian Doll” for Netflix, a comedy about a neverending party she co-created with Amy Poehler and “Sleeping with Other People” writer-director Leslye Headland. She’ll serve as exec producer on that project, and will step behind the camera as a director. Lyonne is among the directors on “Orange Is the New Black’s” new season as well.

“Maya and Natasha are proven talents in front of and behind the camera, and we are so excited to tap into this powerful creative brain trust and be in business with these fiercely funny and phenomenally smart women,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios.

Rudolph added, “I’ve had an incredible experience working with the team at Amazon Studios on ‘Forever,’ where they have given us true creative freedom. I’m excited to extend this relationship and to have the opportunity for Natasha and myself to continue to develop new shows for a global audience.”

“I am thrilled to extend the creative partnership I have with my lifelong and brilliant friend Maya, under our new shingle,” Lyonne commented. “Amazon Studios has galvanized Animal Pictures and we can’t wait to bring to life our ideas and support emerging and original voices.”

Rudolph is a two-time Emmy nominee thanks to her work as a former “Saturday Night Live” cast member and a guest spot on NBC afterlife comedy “The Good Place.” Lyonne received an Emmy nod for her role as Nicky on “Orange Is the New Black.” Both have voiced characters for Netflix’s animated puberty comedy “Big Mouth.”


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