Emmy-winning Paradise alum Julianna Margulies has been tapped to lead a new MGM+ series adapted from a novel by Daisy Goodwin, the British author and creator best known for the ITV/PBS Masterpiece drama Victoria.
MGM+ is turning Goodwin’s 2011 novel The American Heiress into an eight-episode romantic comedy of manners that contrasts America’s Gilded Age with Britain’s Victorian era. The show is a co-production between FilmNation and Fifth Season.
Margulies will play Isabella Cash, a determined mother who brings her daughter Cora to England in 1893 in pursuit of what she can’t purchase in the United States — a noble title.
Cora arrives believing she’s in love with Teddy, an American painter. But after a fall from her horse during a hunt leaves her waking up at Lulworth Castle, the ancestral home of the 12th Duke of Wareham, the certainties she’s held begin to unravel. Though Cora wants to do the honorable thing, she finds herself torn in the morally gray society of England’s “naughty nineties,” unsure which course to take.
Stream on Deadline
Michael Wright, MGM+’s global head, praised the project as an alluring blend of richly drawn characters, old-world class politics, and romantic drive. He said Goodwin excels at creating smart, entertaining stories with compelling figures and big stakes, and that Margulies — with her intelligence, strength, and charisma — is a perfect lead for the cast.
Goodwin described The American Heiress as a tale about the ties between mothers and daughters, the clash of old social obligations and new-world entitlement, and a search for purpose in a society skewed by wealth. She added that she hopes the series will make viewers laugh, reflect, and swoon.
Goodwin will executive produce alongside Stacey Snider, FilmNation’s chief creative officer. Margulies is also an executive producer, as are Damian Keogh, Stella Merz, and FilmNation TV creative director Kirstie Macdonald. Joanna Crow is serving as series producer with Gemma Wright as co-producer. Directing duties will be shared by Catherine Morshead, Sandra Goldbacher, and Edward Hall.
The American Heiress is slated to debut on MGM+ across the U.S., U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and throughout Latin America. Fifth Season will manage worldwide distribution, and production is set to begin in the U.K. this month.
Margulies is represented by CAA, Cognition, Wolf Kasteler Public Relations, and the law firm Gendler, Kelly & Cunningham.
Similar Posts
- Netflix Renews ‘Love on the Spectrum’ for Season 5! Discover What’s Next!
- Ben Stiller Stars in HBO’s New Music Dramedy ‘The Band’ from ‘Search Party’ Creators!
- Streaming Now: ‘Paradise’ Episode Release Schedule on Hulu!
- Record-Breaking ‘The Agency’ Snags Season 2 Renewal at Showtime!
- Season 3 Cast of ‘The Traitors’ Revealed, Alan Cumming Teases Unfair Play in New Trailer
Taylor Monroe takes readers behind the scenes of the entertainment industry, from Hollywood trends to rising stars. With a passion for storytelling, Taylor brings engaging and fresh perspectives.
