Natalie Portman, Sophie Mas ink first-look TV deal at Apple

Washington [US], March 18 : Actor Natalie Portman and film producer Sophie Mas' MountainA production company has set a first-look TV deal at Apple.
According to Variety, the information on the arrangement comes seven days after it was reported that Portman had signed on to star in the Apple series 'Lady in the Lake' with Lupita Nyong'o.
Portman is also an executive producer on the series, as is Mas through their production company MountainA. The show also represents Portman's first TV featuring role.
"We launched MountainA to support meaningful, timely projects and we couldn't imagine a better partner to start this adventure with than the fantastic team at Apple, who in only a short time already have a track record of working with some of the world's most inspiring filmmakers.We are excited to create and develop daring stories together," Portman and Mas said in a joint statement.
As per Variety, under the multi-year agreement, Apple will have a first look on TV projects to be created and delivered by Portman and Mas through their recently formed production company. This marks the first producing deal for the duo.
'Lady in the Lake' takes place in 1960s Baltimore, where an inexplicable homicide pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) to rethink her life as an analytical columnist and sets her on an impact 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.
The series will be co-written by Alma Har'el and Dre Ryan, with Har'el writing the pilot and directing.
Endeavour Content is the studio.
Both Har'el and Ryan will executive produce, as well as Portman, Mas, and Nyong'o.
Har'el executive produces along with Christopher Leggett via Zusa. Crazyrose's Jean-Marc Vallee and Nathan Ross will also serve as executive producers, along with Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf America. Lipmman is an executive producer on the project too.