Kerry Washington Renews Overall Deal With ABC Studios; Simpson Street Developing Adaptation Of Lillian Li’s ‘Number One Chinese Restaurant’

Dino-Ray Ramos
·4 min read

The good news for Kerry Washington keeps on coming! After receiving multiple Emmy nominations Tuesday morning, including one for her role in Little Fires Everywhere, Washington and her Simpson Street Productions has extended and expanded her overall deal with ABC Studios. The exclusive three-year TV deal includes producing projects for broadcast, cable and streaming for ABC Studios, which is part of Disney Television Studios.

In addition to receiving an Emmy nom for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie for Little Fires Everywhere, Washington received another nomination as executive producer of the series in the Outstanding Limited Series or Movie category. On top of that she earned two more nominations as an EP for American Son (Outstanding Television Movie) and Live In Front of a Studio Audience (Outstanding Variety Special), both of which she starred. Washington had previously been nominated twice for her role as the iconic white hat-wearing Olivia Pope in Scandal and for Confirmation, which she starred and executive produced.

More from Deadline

Pilar Savone, who also served as EP on Little Fires Everywhere, continues as Simpson Street’s executive vice president of production and development.

“Since its inception, Simpson Street has focused on using art and entertainment to amplify the human experience and weave narratives that honor our unique differences while connecting us through our shared humanity,” said Washington. ”I’m so proud of the foundation we’ve laid, and I am excited to extend our partnership with Jonnie Davis and the extraordinary team at ABC Studios who have shared in our vision from the very beginning.”

“Kerry has so much in common with her iconic character, Olivia Pope—she’s brilliant, talented and makes everything better,” added Jonnie Davis, President, ABC Studios. “From Scandal to Little Fires Everywhere, we’re consistently impressed by her incredible talent both in front of and behind the camera. She’s built a powerhouse team at Simpson Street, headed by the remarkable Pilar Savone. We’re proud and grateful they have made ABC Studios their creative home.”

Simpson Street continues to tell inclusive stories on TV with their upcoming project. The company is currently developing the ensemble drama Number One Chinese Restaurant based on Lillian Li’s novel of the same name. Li and writer/director Jessica Yu are attached to work on the series.

Number One Chinese Restaurant follows a Chinese family’s obsession over legacy, power and money. The restaurant in question is inhabited by waiters and kitchen staff who have been fighting, loving, and aging within its walls for decades. When disaster strikes, this working family’s controlled chaos is set loose, forcing each character to confront the conflicts that fast-paced restaurant life has kept at bay.

In addition to Little Fires Everywhere, American Son, Live in Front of a Studio Audience and Confirmation, Simpson Street’s latest film, The Fight debuted at Sundance and was acquired by Magnolia Pictures which picked up the distribution rights. The docu provides unprecedented access to 5 ACLU lawyers as they battle the current administration’s attack on human rights and civil liberties Other projects currently in development include: Shadow Force in partnership with Sterling K. Brown and Danielle Reardon’s Indian Meadows Productions and Made with Love Media’s Stephen “Dr” Love. Simpson Street is also teaming with Rashida Jones, who is set to write and direct Disney/Fox’s Goldie Vance, based on the comics. Simpson Street is also working on The Mothers with Warner Bros.; City of Saints and Thieves with Will Packer Productions; and 24-7 with Eva Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

Washington made history as the first Black woman to headline a network TV drama since 1974 with Scandal. In addition to receiving two Emmy nominations for her role, she earned a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination, and two NAACP Image Awards for the Peabody Award-winning series. She has numerous film credits in acclaimed films such as Django Unchained, Ray, The Last King of Scotland and more. As an advocate, she has served on President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and was honored with the NAACP President’s Award recognizing her special achievements in furthering the cause of civil rights and public service. Washington also received the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award in 2015 and the ACLU Bill of Rights Award in 2016.

 

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.