Women Writers
Gail Berman Producing TV Projects from Theresa Rebeck and Allyn Rachel
Super producer Gail Berman is prepping two new TV series created by women with her production company, The Jackal Group. Berman, who has been a show business executive since 1989, is teaming up...
Aubrey Plaza’s “Nightmare Time” Gets Pilot Order from TBS
“Parks and Recreation” star Aubrey Plaza is involved in a new TV project, but this time she’ll be working behind the scenes, Deadline reports. TBS has given a pilot order to Plaza’s...
Lifetime’s “UnREAL” Gets a New Showrunner
“UnREAL” has a new captain steering the ship. The Emmy-nominated Lifetime series has hired a new showrunner for its third season, which begins production in February, 2017. The Hollywood...
“Prime Suspect: Tennison” Heading to Masterpiece
The rebooted story of Detective Jane Tennison now has Masterpiece on board. Masterpiece will co-produce the “Prime Suspect” prequel “Prime Suspect: Tennison,” alongside ITV Studios and NoHo...
D.C.’s Signature Theatre and Broadway Producer Launch Writers Initiative to Support Female…
D.C.’s Signature Theatre and Broadway Producer Launch Writers Initiative to Support Female Playwrights Broadway producer Jenna Segal is teaming up with the Washington D.C. Signature Theatre to...
NBC Snags New Comedy About Siblings Created by Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling’s stacked resume continues to expand, Deadline reports. The creator, executive producer, and star of Hulu’s “The Mindy Project” just scored a put pilot commitment from NBC for a...
Athena Film Festival and IRIS Team Up for Screenwriting Lab
Great news, female screenwriters! The Athena Film Festival has announced that it will be partnering with IRIS to present the inaugural Athena IRIS Screenwriting Lab. The unique lab will be offered...
“Inside Out” Screenwriter to Make Directorial Debut with Disney’s “Gigantic”
Meg LeFauve’s profile continues to rise. The in-demand screenwriter has signed on to make her directorial debut. She’ll co-helm Disney Animation’s “Gigantic,” a retelling of “Jack and...
October 2016 Film Preview
“The Girl on the Train” For those of you who are gearing up for awards season or are planning to celebrate Halloween at the movies, we at Women and Hollywood would just like to say you will not...
Fox 2000 Snags Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson Comedy
Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson are a dream team, and now we’re one step closer to seeing the actresses together on the big screen. Fox 2000 has snagged the rights to an untitled film penned by...
Sarah Ruhl to Receive Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award
Playwright Sarah Ruhl has been named the recipient of this year’s Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, The New York Times reports. The prize, which “celebrates career excellence in American...
Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson Team Up for Comedy About a Late-Night Host
Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson are joining forces. The actresses have signed on to star in an untitled movie centered on a late night talk show host, Variety reports. Kaling penned the script and...
Viola Davis Takes the Lead in Gillian Flynn Heist Thriller
Viola Davis is set to star in the heist thriller “Widows,” Variety reports. The script will be written by “Gone Girl” screenwriter and novelist Gillian Flynn along with Steve McQueen (“12...
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Writer Nicole Perlman Signs on to Amazon’s “True Skin”
Nicole Perlman has landed another major gig. The “Guardians of the Galaxy” co-writer will pen “True Skin,” a new sci-fi drama series from Amazon Studios. The project originated as a short...
Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson’s “Claire in Motion” Goes to Breaking Glass
Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired the North American rights to writer-director team Annie Howell and Lisa Robinson’s “Claire in Motion,” ScreenDaily reports. The film premiered at SXSW and...
Strong Women, Both Real and Fictional: September 2016’s Crowdfunding Picks
“Nasbandi” As the theme song to Netflix’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” says, “females are strong as hell.” This month’s crowdfunding picks highlight the strength and courage women...
Jenny Lumet Pens Pilot about Hate Crimes for CBS, Katie Couric Producing
“Rachel Getting Married” screenwriter Jenny Lumet has secured a put pilot commitment from CBS for her new drama about hate crimes, Deadline reports. The untitled character-based procedural...
Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards Have All Male Finalists and Judges
In today’s edition of “Are you fucking kidding me?!?” the Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards have whittled down their selection to five finalists, and, as far as we can tell, not only are they all...
Andrea Savage Comedy Series Picked Up
“Episodes’” actress Andrea Savage has scored her own TV series. Cable network truTV has given a series order to “I’m Sorry,” a half-hour comedy Savage created and stars in. According to...
2017 WriteHer List Nominations Are Now Open
The nomination period for the 2017 WriteHer list is now open. WeForShe, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping balance the gender-landscape in television, founded the WriteHer list in 2015...
Sarah Jessica Parker to Play a Singer in Upcoming Drama
Sarah Jessica Parker in “All Roads Lead to Rome”: Cristina di Paolo Antonio / eOne Entertainment Sarah Jessica Parker portrays a woman who is ending her marriage in HBO’s upcoming series...
Apply Now to Writers Guild’s “Made in NY Writers Room” Fellowship
The Writers Guild of America, East has teamed up with The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and the New York City Department of Small Business Services to launch the Made in NY Writers...
Margaret Atwood Releases Graphic Novel
Literary icon Margaret Atwood has released her first graphic novel, Dark Horse Comics’ “Angel Catbird.” The story, The A.V. Club reports, follows, “the tale of Strig Feleedus, a genetic...
Judge Judy Developing Scripted Series
The eminently quotable star of “Judge Judy” is entering the world of scripted television. Judy Sheindlin, arguably the U.S.’s most recognizable judge, is developing a drama series at CBS,...
Kerry Washington Developing A Series About Female LAPD Cops at ABC
“Scandal” star Kerry Washington is developing a new drama with ABC, the network behind her hit series. Variety reports that the actress is serving as executive producer for “Patrol,” “a...
Trailer Watch: Bella Thorne is an Overnight Sensation in “Famous in Love”
Meet “Famous in Love,” your next delicious guilty pleasure. Freeform has released a trailer for the upcoming series about young Hollywood led by rising star Bella Thorne (“The DUFF,” “Big...
Screenwriter Anya Kochoff Romano to Make Directorial Debut
Screenwriter Anya Kochoff Romano is set to make her directorial debut, Variety reports. The woman behind the scripts for 2016’s “Mother’s Day” and 2005’s “Monster-in-Law” will take the...
Eleanor Catton’s “The Luminaries” Coming to Television
Eleanor Catton’s award-winning novel “The Luminaries” is being adapted for TV, The Hollywood Reporter writes. Working Title Television will produce the series for the BBC. Catton will adapt...
“Happy Valley” Returning for a Third Season
Viewers don’t have to say goodbye to Sergeant Catherine Cawood and “Happy Valley” just yet. Despite previous comments that suggested otherwise, the award-winning BBC One police drama will...
Never Too Old to Dream Big: Going From Mom to Movie Maker with No Fear
Guest Post by Caytha Jentis As I’m about to complete “The Other F Word,” my fourth production since deciding to become a filmmaker in my early forties, I’ve decided to reflect on...
Refinery29 Launches Women-Directed Film Series
Refinery29’s Shatterbox Anthology short film series highlighting female filmmakers has launched. On August 28, the first of 12 short films, a documentary called “Watching You, Watching Me,”...
Diablo Cody Will Americanize Caitlin Moran’s “Raised By Wolves” for ABC
Diablo Cody is set to introduce U.S. audiences to more snarky, precocious, and hilarious teen girls. The “Juno” screenwriter and Oscar winner has teamed up with Berlanti Productions...
Amazon Acquires Creepy Australian Drama Series “The Kettering Incident”
Amazon Prime Video has acquired the U.S. rights to the first season of the Australian drama “The Kettering Incident” from BBC Worldwide, Variety reports. The series stars Elizabeth Debicki...
BBC Commissions Series from “Suffragette” Screenwriter Abi Morgan
Emmy winner Abi Morgan is working on a new series for BBC, “The Split.” The project was announced by Charlotte Moore, BBC’s director of content, during a panel discussion at the Edinburgh TV...
All Eight Disney/ABC Diversity Program Writers Get Staff Jobs
All eight writers selected for the year-long Disney|ABC Writing Program have secured staff jobs on series for the 2016–17 television season, Shadow and Act reports. Three of the writers are women:...
Great Expectations: August Web Series and VOD Picks
“Aroha Bridge” It’s funny-in-a-sad-way to think about how your plans change as you grow up. Remember your goals when you were a high school student? An undergrad? A fresh-out-of-college young...
Frankie Shaw Gets Showtime Pilot
Showtime has ordered a pilot for Frankie Shaw’s “SMILF,” Deadline reports. The series is based on her short of the same name that won the Short Film Jury Award at Sundance last year. The...
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Crowdfunding Picks
Untitled “Curious George” documentary This round of August’s crowdfunding picks challenge us to acknowledge and empathize with some who are invisible in most narratives: authors of famous...
Sundance Announces 2016 Fellows
Sundance has announced the 12 independent artists who will be awarded the 2016 Sundance Institute/Time Warner Foundation Fellowships and seven of them (58 percent) are women. As a release details,...
Margot Robbie to Play A Trapeze Artist in “Queen of the Air”
Margot Robbie is putting aside her “Suicide Squad” sledgehammer and joining the circus. The Hollywood Reporter announced that Robbie is attached to star as a trapeze artist in “Queen of the...
Emily Carmichael to Direct “Lumberjanes” for 20th Century Fox
Indie filmmaker Emily Carmichael will direct “Lumberjanes” for 20th Century Fox, TheWrap has reported. According to the site, “Lumberjanes” is considered “a female version of ‘The...
“Lizzie McGuire” Creator Terri Minsky Gets New Series Order on Disney Channel
The Disney Channel has ordered to series a new coming-of-age series called “Andi Mack” from “Lizzie McGuire” creator Terri Minsky, TV Line reports. “The single-camera sitcom,” the site...
Brie Larson to Make Feature Directorial Debut with “Unicorn Store”
Brie Larson is having a banner 2016. After winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “Room” earlier this year, Larson was recently announced as taking on the role of...
Greta Gerwig Taking Over “Little Women” Screenwriting Duties from Sarah Polley
Indie film star Greta Gerwig is taking over the screenwriting duties for Sony Pictures’ adaptation of “Little Women,” The Tracking Board reports. As we previously reported,...
Rosa Parks Musical in the Works in London
A new musical based on the life of civil rights icon Rosa Parks is in the works in London, Playbill reports. The show was written by Victoria Gimby (book and lyrics) and Stuart Matthew Price (music...
Meryl Streep-Funded Writers Lab Announces 2016 Cohort
New York Women in Film & Television (NYWIFT) and the Iris women filmmakers’ collective have announced the names of the talented group of screenwriters who will be participating in The Writers...
Rebel Wilson to Headline “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” Remake
Rebel Wilson has signed on to star in a “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” remake. MGM is developing the project. The original 1998 comedy starred Steve Martin and Michael Caine as con-men who plot to...
Nahnatchka Khan Lands Her Own Production Deal at 20th Century Fox TV
“Fresh Off the Boat” creator Nahnatchka Khan has secured her own production deal at 20th Century Fox TV, Variety reports. The multiyear deal will see Khan creating, writing, developing, and...
August 2016 Film Preview
“A Tale of Love and Darkness” by Rachel Montpelier and Kate Gardner Whether they are opening up about something personal, sharing a beloved fairy tale, or constructing an elaborate charade, the...
New Mermaid Drama Headed to Freeform
Rebecca Thomas’ live-action version of “The Little Mermaid” starring Chloë Grace Moretz is currently in pre-production, but it looks like we’ll soon be seeing mer-folk on-screen in another...
“Fresh Off the Boat” Creator Nahnatchka Khan Sells “Hair Wars” Script to Fox 2000
“Fresh off the Boat” creator and showrunner Nahnatchka Khan just sold a script to Fox 2000. The studio has landed the rights to “Hair Wars” after an intense bidding war, The Hollywood...