Starz has given a series order to drama The Venery of Samantha Bird, starring Katherine Langford (Knives Out, 13 Reasons Why) in the title role.
Created by Anna Moriarty, the eight-episode series revolves around Langford’s Samantha Bird, who, while visiting family in New England, Samantha Bird reconnects with her childhood sweetheart and falls headlong into a seemingly perfect storybook romance. But underneath their fever dream lurks a more unsettling interpretation of this affair. The series is described as a haunting portrayal of addictive love and the repercussions that a relationship has on the families in a small New England town.
Moriarty also serves as executive producer. Salvatore Stabile (Waco) is showrunner and executive producer. Jessica Rhoades (Station Eleven, Sharp Objects) executive produces through her Pacesetter Productions shingle, with Rachel Polan serving as co-executive producer. Jessica Yu (Fosse/Verdon, Billions) is consulting producer.
“The Venery of Samantha Bird is the perfect complement to our slate of provocative, immersive storytelling that leans into the female gaze,” said Kathryn Busby, President of Original Programming, Starz. “Katherine is an incredible talent who will bring this modern romance of addictive love to life.”
Langford earned critical acclaim as Hannah Baker in Netflix’s original series 13 Reasons Why, a role for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. She also had a key role in Lionsgate mystery thriller Knives Out. Other credits include the lead in Cursed. She currently stars in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) six-part Australian crime drama, Savage River.
Karen Bailey, Executive Vice President of Original Programming, is the executive overseeing The Venery of Samantha Bird for Starz, and Max Elins is overseeing for Lionsgate. The series is produced by Lionsgate Television and Paramount Television Studios.
