Los Angeles is buzzing with the announcement that Jennette McCurdy’s best-selling memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” is set to be transformed into a series on Apple TV+. The series will feature renowned actress Jennifer Aniston, who will take on a role inspired by McCurdy’s own mother.
The 10-episode dramedy is penned by McCurdy along with film producer Ari Katcher. Both of them are stepping into the limelight as co-showrunners and will also act as executive producers together with Aniston, as revealed by Apple on Tuesday.
Jennette McCurdy, who launched her acting career at the tender age of 8, catapulted to fame co-starring alongside Miranda Cosgrove on Nickelodeon’s “iCarly.” She later revisited her role as Sam in the spin-off “Sam & Cat,” opposite Ariana Grande. In her memoir, McCurdy shares the harrowing experiences of “emotional, mental, and physical” abuse at the hands of her mother during her formative years.
The forthcoming show is said to delve into the “codependent relationship” between a young female actor starring in a popular kids’ show and her “narcissistic mother.” The search for the perfect child star to embody the 18-year-old lead character, as described by Apple, is still underway.
Released in August 2022, McCurdy’s memoir provides a candid look into her journey through therapy, which she describes as crucial to processing the profound impact of her mother’s passing from cancer complications in 2013. The striking title of her memoir truly reflects her feelings, as McCurdy has explained.
“With my mother’s death, I’d swing between intense anger to deep sympathy,” McCurdy expressed in a 2022 interview. “I’d feel compassion and sympathy and then just anger and rage.” The complexities of an abusive relationship, she said, are indeed “mixed and messy.”
McCurdy’s book also highlights the challenging dynamics of handling celebrity status while simultaneously dealing with her mother’s deteriorating health.
“Being in the ambulance with my mother during a seizure and then seeing my face on a billboard felt like a cruel joke,” McCurdy admitted. This poignant sentiment underscores the duality of her experiences.
Jennifer Aniston is no stranger to collaborations with Apple TV+, with her prior engagement being “The Morning Show,” a series in which she stars and also serves as an executive producer. The eagerly awaited fourth season of that show is scheduled to premiere on September 17.