Jessica Simpson is getting into business with Amazon.
The singer, actress, fashion mogul and author has signed a multimedia rights deal with the tech and retail giant that includes a pair of TV projects at Amazon Studios as well as a publishing component. The two TV shows, one unscripted and one scripted, are based on Simpson’s best-selling memoir Open Book.
“I am humbled and honored to partner with Amazon Studios to bring my story and heart to life on the screen. I am a huge TV fan and many of my favorite shows live on Amazon, so the gift of this unprecedented collaboration is a dream for me,” said Simpson. “From our first meeting I had a visceral connection to every member of this team. I know that parts of my life have been extraordinary, but I also know that many of my struggles are universal. I hope to continue the mission I set out to accomplish in writing Open Book — to inspire others to be entertained, moved, and empowered to walk through fear and come out on the other side even stronger.”
The unscripted project will premiere on Amazon’s Prime Video streaming platform. The docuseries will feature a trove of previously unseen, personal video footage Simpson recorded over the past decade and will track the ups and downs of her singing career, the start of her billion-dollar clothing business and her journey to sobriety, among other subject. Simpson executive produces with Lauren Auslander and Lacy Lynch.
The scripted project, bound for the ad-supported IMDb TV, is inspired by Open Book and Simpson’s life after her divorce from Nick Lachey and “on the journey to discovering herself,” per Amazon. Simpson, Patrick Moran of PKM Productions, Lynch and Auslander exec produce.
The deal also includes publication of two original essays via Amazon Original Stories in 2021, one on motherhood and one on gratitude. Simpson will also narrate the audio versions of each essay.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jessica to the Amazon family. Jessica has a fascinating, emotional story, not just of celebrity and success, but with relatable, all-too-human problems so many of us encounter with love, family, and life,” said Vernon Sanders, co-head of television at Amazon Studios. “Open Book was a phenomenon, and we’re so excited to bring it to life on Prime Video and IMDb TV, and for Amazon Original Stories readers to have the chance to hear more from Jessica in her own words.”
This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.
