Natalie Portman, Lupita Nyong'o to star in Apple's 'Lady in the Lake'

Oscar-winning actors Natalie Portman and Lupita Nyong'o are set to star in a limited series at Apple TV+. The duo will play the lead roles in 'Lady in the Lake', based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Laura Lippman.

As per Variety, the series will be co-written by Alma Har'el and Dre Ryan, with Har'el writing the pilot and directing. Endeavor Content is the studio backing the upcoming project.

The two stars executive produce with Ryan, Har'el, and producing partner Christopher Leggett via their Zusa banner, Portman's producing partner Sophie Mas, Crazyrose's Jean-Marc Vallee, and Nathan Ross, Bad Wolf America's Julie Gardner, and author Lippman.

The limited series will take place in 1960s Baltimore, where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother Maddie Schwartz (Portman) to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood (Nyong'o), a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore's Black progressive agenda.

'Lady in the Lake' will be Portman's first regular television role. In addition to getting nominated and winning an Oscar for 'Black Swan,' she received Academy Award nominations for her roles in the films 'Closer' and 'Jackie.'

Her other notable feature roles include 'Leon: The Professional,' the 'Star Wars' prequel trilogy, 'V for Vendetta,' and 'Annihilation.'

Apart from '12 Years a Slave,' Nyong'o is widely known for roles in Marvel's 'Black Panther,' Jordan Peele's 'Us,' and the new 'Star Wars' trilogy. She previously appeared in the TV series 'Shuga.'

Meanwhile, Har'el's most recent film, 'Honey Boy,' won her the Sundance 2019 'Special Jury Directing Award for Craft and Vision,' received four Independent Spirit Awards nominations including best director, and made her the first woman to win the DGA Award for First-Time Feature Film.

She is also the first woman in DGA Awards history to be nominated for both commercial directing and narrative directing. 'Lady in the Lake' will be her first television project.

( With inputs from ANI )