TV Guide reports that Oprah Winfrey is reuniting with “Selma” director Ava DuVernay for an upcoming television series on OWN. Winfrey will both executive-produce and recur on the drama series.
Adapted from Natalie Baszile’s novel Queen Sugar, the drama tells the story of a woman who, along with her teen daughter, leaves her upscale Los Angeles lifestyle behind to claim an 800-acre Louisiana sugar cane farm that she inherits from her recently deceased father. Oprah will have a recurring role in the series scheduled to begin filming later this year.
“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.”
Added DuVernay, who will write, direct and executive-produce the series: “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 project marks the first television series for DuVernay, who was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for directing “Selma”.
