Jennifer Lopez and ‘Bridgerton’ producer working on new series for Netflix
The star of two recent Netflix hits and the executive producer of one of the streaming service’s biggest-ever shows uniting for a new series seems nailed-on to find success, with Jennifer Lopez evidently happy to remain in business with the platform.
The singer and actor headlined one of Netflix’s most-watched original movies ever when she kicked ass and took names in The Mother, before doubling down on her resurgent action hero persona by battling against rogue artificial intelligence in sci-fi blockbuster Atlas.
Her next project with the streamer isn’t going to be quite so trigger-happy, though, with Netflix swooping in to produce Happy Place alongside Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina as part of the first-look development deal Lopez’s production company Nuyorican has with the company.
Bridgerton co-executive producer Leila Cohan – who shared a Primetime Emmy nomination for ‘Outstanding Drama Series’ for her contributions to the period drama – has signed on co-write and serve as the showrunner of the literary adaptation.
Penned by Emily Henry, Happy Place follows the seemingly perfect couple of Harriet and Wyn, who’ve been inseparable since they first met during their college days. However, despite quietly splitting up, they opted not to tell their closest friends or family about their idyllic relationship turning sour.
When they end up sharing a bedroom during an annual getaway they’ve been sharing with their buddies for over a decade, the duo are forced to pretend they’re still together, which is either going to bring them back together or continue pushing them further apart than ever.
There’s no word as of yet on whether or not Lopez is planning to play an on-camera role, but a TV series would mark a major commitment for a star who already has sports biopic Unstoppable and a new spin on Kiss of the Spider Woman on the way.
Of course, with Netflix and Lopez having already reaped the rewards of a mutually beneficial partnership after The Mother and Atlas drew bumper viewing figures, it can’t be ruled out that J-Lo could potentially play an on-screen character.
Both Lopez and Cohan have extensive experience in romantic dramas, romantic comedies and page-to-screen episodic Netflix originals, so the pair putting their minds together to spearhead Happy Place should realistically ensure it ticks the majority of boxes subscribers have come to expect from the genre, while also ensuring the streamer continues to get the most out of its development deal with the former.