Susannah Grant is following up her Emmy-nominated sexual assault drama “Unbelievable” with another small screen project inspired by a harrowing true story. She has a new series in the works at Showtime inspired by the life of Rebecca Bender, “a sex trafficking survivor who now advocates for victims and consults with law enforcement,” per The Hollywood Reporter. “Coercion” has received a pilot order from the network. Sydney Chandler (“Don’t Worry Darling”) is tapped to star.
Set to be written and directed by Grant, “Coercion” is “based on Rebecca Bender’s personal story of entrapment in the world of sex trafficking, her escape, and her stunning emergence as a relentless force against that world,” said Amy Israel, executive vp scripted programming at Showtime. She added, “We’re excited to be working with Susannah, whose work as a writer and director is always sharply observed and moving. And Sydney Chandler promises to captivate audiences as she takes on this challenging role.”
The “potential series would pick up the lead character’s life six years after her escape and follow her struggles to resume a ‘normal’ life as well as her emergence as a confident, funny, and impassioned advocate for justice,” according to THR.
Grant, who received an Oscar nomination for her “Erin Brockovich” screenplay, has a number of projects in the pipeline, including “Lessons in Chemistry” and “Fleishman Is in Trouble.” The former is an Apple series that sees Brie Larson playing an aspiring scientist who finds herself working as a host on a TV cooking show and the latter is an FX limited series about a recently separated man who reenters the world of dating.
“Confirmation,” “The Soloist,” and “Catch and Release” are among Grant’s other writing credits.
