Jennifer Aniston will expand her Apple TV+ empire with an adaptation of Jennette McCurdy‘s memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died.”
Aniston, currently at Apple TV+ with “The Morning Show,” will star in and executive produce a 10-episode series inspired by the memoir, with McCurdy as the co-showrunner.
Former Nickelodeon child actress McCurdy starred in “Sam and Cat” opposite Ariana Grande, as well as “iCarly,” among other series. Her 2022 book became a bestseller and detailed the abuse she endured at the hands of her mother, Debbie, who died in 2013 of cancer. McCurdy also alleged that a Nickelodeon “creator” (believed to be Dan Schneider, who was later at the center of docuseries “Quiet on Set”) frequently supplied children with alcohol and requested massages from child actors. McCurdy claimed that she was offered $300,000 in “hush money” to not come forward about the abuse; she declined the payment.
The Apple TV+ adaptation hails from a who’s who of acclaimed creators: Along with McCurdy, Ari Katcher (“Ramy,” “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show”) will also showrun, write, and executive produce. Sharon Horgan’s (“Bad Sisters”) Merman banner, Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap productions, Jerrod Carmichael, and Erica Kay will also executive produce.
McCurdy previously told Vanity Fair in 2022 that she hopes to change how the press and public perceive child stars. “There’s such a gross fascination and deep intrigue in child stars and the evolution of their careers and personal lives,” she said. “I don’t know what that is, but I wish I could ask everybody on the outside, ‘What’s going on here? Is everyone OK? Why is everybody obsessed with child stars? Does everybody need some therapy?’ Yes, is the answer.”
As for the controversial title of her book (and now the series), McCurdy added, “I stand by the title and I believe in it. It was a tough thing for me to come to terms with. And the things that are difficult to come to terms with are often the things that need to be said the most.”
Aniston’s “The Morning Show,” meanwhile, returns to Apple TV+ with Season 4 on September 17.