Oprah Winfrey docuseries in development at Apple TV+

The series comes from the 'Whitney' creative team

Jan 15, 2021

It looks like another legendary life is getting the documentary treatment. According to Deadline, an Oprah Winfrey docuseries is in development at Apple TV+.

The docuseries is set to be a two-part event and will be directed by Kevin McDonald. McDonald directed the critically acclaimed 2018 documentary film, Whitney, which won Best Documentary Feature Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Lisa Erspamer, who also worked on Whitney, is set to executive produce.

Erspamer has a long history with Winfrey, producing The Oprah Winfrey Show from 1999 – 2009. Rolake Bamgbose, an Emmy-nominated director/producer, will serve as the showrunner.

Oprah Winfrey speaks during Oprah’s 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus Tour presented by WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined) at Pepsi Center on March 07, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Cooper/Getty Images)

According to Apple, “The Oprah Winfrey documentary will chronicle 25 years of American history through the lens of one show and one woman, who rose from humble roots to become a billionaire, philanthropist, actress, media executive and agent of social change.”

This, of course, isn’t Winfrey’s first collaboration with Apple. The icon signed a multi-year content deal with the company in 2018, and since then has brought the latest iteration of Oprah’s Book Club and two new shows, The Oprah Conversation and Oprah Talks COVID-19 to Apple TV+.

For the book club, Oprah has interviewed guests like Mariah Carey, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Isabel Wilkerson. For The Oprah Conversation, she sat down with Barack Obama, Stevie Wonder, and more.

Oprah thegrio.com — Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for GCAPP

Shortly after her deal with Apple was announced, Winfrey wrote in Oprah Magazine about why she chose Apple specifically for her book club.

She explained, “Apple is in a billion pockets, y’all. To me, that presents a magnificent opportunity to connect the world through reading…my partnership with Apple gives me a chance to take one of my most joyful experiences and spread the word. I know for sure you’ll appreciate the community that results when people engage with stories that enhance their lives.”

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