Apple TV+ teams with Alma Har’el, Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o for ‘Lady In the Lake’ adaptation

Warrior Women With Lupita Nyong’o

Apple TV+ has given a straight-to-series order for an adaptation of the Laura Lippman novel Lady In The Lake, starring Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong’o.

The new limited series is being produced by produced by Crazyrose and Bad Wolf America, and executive produced by Alma Har’el alongside producing partner Christopher Leggett through her new production company, Zusa. Har’el will also direct and co-write, alongside Dre Ryan, who will co-create and co-write the series.

Portman and Nyong’o will serve as executive producers on the series, alongside Portman’s producing partner Sophie Mas, while Crazyrose principals Jean-Marc Vallée and Nathan Ross will also serve as executive producers, and Julie Gardner will executive produce for Bad Wolf America.

Author of the novel, Laura Lippman, will also executive produce on the project, while Endeavor Content is the studio.

Set in 1960s Baltimore, Lady In The Lake tells the story of housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) who reinvents herself as an investigative journalist to get to the bottom of an unsolved murder. She is soon set on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood (Nyong’o), a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda.

Lady In The Lake will be Lucy In The Sky star Portman’s first regular TV role, as well as the first TV project for Honey Boy director Har’el. Nyong’o has previously appeared in TV productions, such as the Channel 4 documentary Warrior Women With Lupita Nyong’o.

The streamer continues to draw major talent and high-profile names, having recently inked a multiyear programming partnership with women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai.