Julia Roberts in Talks to Star in Amazon TV Adaptation of Novel ‘Charlotte Walsh Likes To Win’
Amazon Studios could be keeping Julia Roberts in the fold.
The retail giant is in discussions with the actress, who just starred in the first season of “Homecoming,” to star and executive produce a limited series adaption of “Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win,” knowledgeable individuals told TheWrap. Amazon declined to comment.
The series is being adapted by Jon Robin Baitz, who created ABC’s “Brothers & Sisters” and NBC’s “The Slap.”
The novel, written by Jo Piazza, centers on Charlotte Walsh, a woman who wants it all — political power, a happy marriage, and happiness–then has to decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for all that. Walsh leaves her job as a high-powered Silicon Valley executive to move back with her husband and three daughters to her downtrodden Pennsylvania hometown so that she can run for Senate in a midterm election that will decide the balance of power in Congress. She is initially shocked at how nasty her opponent is willing to play in the campaign, and how harshly she is judged by the media. She also sees that the strain wears heavily on her family. When a secret is uncovered by the opposition that could jeopardize her candidacy and everything she holds dear, Charlotte is forced to measure that cost against her ambition to make a difference.
The project is backed by wiip and Roberts’ Red Om Films production company. Roberts will executive produce alongside Red Om’s Lisa Gillan and Marisa Gill, ScratchPad’s Baitz, Rebelle Media’s Laura Lewis, and wiip’s Paul Lee and Mark Roybal.
Roberts is not expected to return for season 2 of Amazon’s “Homecoming,” though she’ll remain on board as an executive producer. While representatives for Amazon would not comment on her departure to TheWrap, an individual with knowledge of the production said she had only signed on to star on the first season, and that it’s possible she could appear on-screen in some capacity in the second season.
“Mr. Robot” creator Sam Esmail, who directed all 10 episodes, had previously told TheWrap that he deviated from the podcast-version of the storyline, in part to give Roberts’ character an ending.
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