HBO Max Orders Julia Child Series to Pilot
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HBO Max is officially moving forward with a pilot order for a series inspired by the life of Julia Child, Variety has learned.
Titled “Julia,” the one-hour show will explore her life and her show “The French Chef,” which essentially invented food television. Through Child, the show is said to explore an evolving time in American history – the emergence of a new social institution called public television, feminism and the women’s movement, the nature of celebrity, and America’s cultural growth.
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The cast includes: Sarah Lancashire as Julia Child; Tom Hollander as Paul Child, Julia’s husband; Brittany Bradford as Alice, Associate Producer of the show “I’ve Been Reading” who champions Julia after her appearance; Fran Kranz as Russ, producer on the show “I’ve Been Reading” who begrudgingly joins Julia’s cooking show; Fiona Glascottas Judith, the editor with a knack for pulling manuscripts out of the reject pile and turning them into bestsellers; Bebe Neuwirth as Avis, Julia’s biggest champion, confidant and best friend; Isabella Rossellini in the guest star role of Simca, Julia’s co-author; and Jefferson Mays in the guest star role of Albert, the host of WGBH’s “I’ve Been Reading.”
Daniel Goldfarb will serve as the writer and executive producer on the pilot, with Chris Keyser set to executive produce and serve as showrunner. Charles McDougall will direct and executive produce, with Erwin Stoff and Kimberly Carver of 3 Arts Entertainment also executive producing. Todd Schulkin will be consulting producer on behalf of The Julia Child Foundation. Lionsgate Television will produce.
It was first reported in September that “Julia” was in the works at HBO Max, with Joan Cusack attached to play the lead role. Should the project go to series, it would not be the first time Child had been portrayed onscreen. Meryl Streep famously played the celebrated chef in the 2009 film “Julie & Julia,” which earned Streep an Academy Award nomination for best actress.
Lancashire is repped by Independent Talent Group. Hollander is repped by WME and United Agents. Bradford is repped by Untitled Entertainment, CESD and Peikoff Mahan. Kranz is repped by Berwick & Kovacik, Gersh, and Sloane Offer. Glascott is represented by The Artists Partnership, LINK Entertainment and Felker Toczek. Neuwirth is repped by ICM. Rossellini is repped by APA. Mays is repped by ICM and Authentic Management.
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