Nellie Andreeva

Lifetime has teamed with Renée Zellweger for Cinnamon Girl, a period drama series project set against the backdrop of the Los Angeles music and movie scenes of the late 1960s/early 1970s, which Lifetime president Nancy Dubuc called “a game changer” for the cable network. Oscar winner Zellweger co-created Cinnamon Girl with Anthony Tambakis (Warrior). The drama tells the story of four girls — Cassie, Lola, Penny and Lou — coming of age during a revolution and explores the characters’ lives at the crossroads of the era’s political, artistic, social and sexual rebellions. The genesis of the idea for project is a combination of Zellweger’s real-life journey from small-town Texas to Hollywood stardom and Tambakis’ lifelong fascination with both the Laurel Canyon music scene and the New Hollywood, auteur-driven era that began in the late ‘60s. Zellweger and Tambakis will executive produce Cinnamon Girl with Gavin O’Connor, who co-wrote Warrior with Tambakis and directed the movie. CAA-repped Zellweger and Tambakis will co-write the story, with Tambakis writing the script, O’Connor directing and Danny Bramson (Almost Famous) serving as producer and music supervisor. “Renée’s passion, clarity of character and deep emotion for this project immediately transported us to the late ‘60s/early ‘70s and created a resonance with us wanting to relive that energy,” Dubuc said. “Cinnamon Girl is a game changer for our network and is exactly the type of show we want to deliver.” The changes at Lifetime were key to Zellweger’s decision to take Cinnamon Girl to the network where she executive produced the 2008 original movie Living Proof starring Harry Connick, Jr. “We believe the timing is perfect for Cinnamon Girl to have found a home at Lifetime during this transformative juncture at the network,” Zellweger said. “We’re really looking forward to making Cinnamon Girl come to life as part of their campaign to expand audience expectations and redefine what it means to be a Lifetime show.” This is the second period drama with a film star attached as a producer that Lifetime has put in development. The network also has a project in the works about William Wilkerson, produced by Johnny Depp and Graham King’s companies. Additionally, Lifetime has a multi-project development deal with Demi Moore.

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