OWN New Drama Series From Tarell Alvin McRaney “Moonlight” Executive Produced By Michael B. Jordan “Creed”

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Networkย announced todayย a newย one-hourย drama series fromย Tarellย Alvinย McCraney,ย co-writer and executive producer ofย theย Academy Award-winning Best Pictureย โ€œMoonlight.โ€

Marking hisย first televisionย series,ย McCraneyย will create, writeย and executive produce theย newย coming-of-age drama,ย from Warner Horizon Scripted Television, withย Mike Kelleyย and Melissa Loyย (“Revenge”/”Swingtown”) servingย asย executive producers under theirย Page Fright production bannerย alongsideย Michael B. Jordan (โ€œCreedโ€)ย who is alsoย joiningย as executive producerย viaย hisย Outlier Productions.

Haunted by the death of his closest friend, and relied on by his hardworking mother to find a way out of poverty,ย a 14-year-old prodigy from the projectsย must choose between the streets that raised him or the higher education that may offer him a way out. Set in South Florida at the end of the Obama legacy,ย theย lyrical drama inspired by events inย McCraneyโ€™sย own life,ย explores the precarious balance needed for the making of a man.

โ€œWhenย Tarellย shared his powerful story with us there wasnโ€™t a dry eye in the room,โ€ said Oprah Winfrey. โ€œIย knew thisย wasย somethingย specialย that our viewers will without a doubt connect to and feel compelled to exploreย with us.ย Iย am honored toย beย working withย Tarellย and the rest of the producers on this project.โ€

“I wanted to explore the pivotal steps towards adulthood and identity, the ones we take when we think or feel we have no other choice,โ€ saidย Tarell Alvin McCraney.

“From the moment Tarell began discussing his profoundly moving story with us, we knew we needed to find a courageous home to nurture his extraordinary vision. No one is better equipped to do that than Oprah Winfrey and her talented team,” said Mike Kelley and Melissa Loy.

“Being young, gifted and black in America today and anywhere for that matter makes it extremely hard and challenging to follow your dreams and achieve success,โ€ said Michael B. Jordan. โ€œTarell’s adaptation of this reality was so honest and true and itโ€™s the exact message our youth needs today.โ€

Playwright, actor and producerย Tarellย Alvinย McCraneyย received an Academy Award, with director Barry Jenkins, for Best Adapted Screenplay forย co-writingย the 2016 film โ€œMoonlight,โ€ which also wonย forย Best Picture.ย The movie wasย based onย McCraneyโ€™sย semi-autobiographical scriptย In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.ย McCraneyย currentlyย serves as the chair of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama. This will be his first foray into creating a scripted dramaย seriesย for television.ย Michael B. Jordanโ€™s acting career spansย both film andย television.ย He has hadย prominentย rolesย in critically acclaimed films including โ€œFruitvale Stationโ€ and โ€œCreedโ€ andย onย popular televisionย series including โ€œFriday Night Lightsโ€ and โ€œThe Wire.โ€ Last year he launched his own production company,ย Outlier Productions.ย Page Frightย producingย partnersย Mike Kelley and Melissa Loyย haveย worked on severalย notableย scriptedย series,ย including โ€œRevenge,โ€ย where they served asย executive producer/showrunner, andย executive producer,ย respectively.

McCraneyโ€™s series will join OWNโ€™s expandedย lineup of premium scripted programming. The network most recentlyย announcedย theย new dramedyย โ€œLove Isย ย __โ€ fromย Maraย Brockย Akilย and Salimย Akilย addingย to itsย roster ofย currentย top-ratedย dramasย โ€œQueen Sugarโ€ andย โ€œGreenleafโ€ (both just picked up for third seasons),ย andย Tyler Perryโ€™s popular dramasย โ€œThe Haves and the Have Notsโ€ and โ€œIf Loving You is Wrong,โ€ which year-to-date comprise four of the top six original scripted series on ad-supported cable for women 25-54.

The series, which is yet to be titled, will be produced for OWN byย Page Frightย andย Outlier Productionsย in association with Warner Horizon Scripted Television.

 

 

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