Elisabeth Moss to Star in Apple TV+’s ‘Shining Girls,’ Leonardo DiCaprio to Executive Produce
Author Lauren Beaukes’ “The Shining Girls” is the latest novel to receive an Apple TV+ series adaptation. Apple announced it has ordered a metaphysical thriller based on the novel on Thursday with Elisabeth Moss in a starring role and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way as executive producer.
The original novel follows a drifter in Depression-era Chicago who acquires an ability to travel through time, but he must murder so-called “shining” girls — bright young women with potential — in order to do so. Eventually, one young would-be victim survives and becomes a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper on a quest to bring the murderer to justice. Moss will portray the reporter who survives the brutal assault only to find her reality shifting as she hunts down her attacker.
The eight-episode Apple TV+ limited series, titled “Shining Girls,” does not have a release date. Additional casting details are still under wraps.
Silka Luisa (“Strange Angel”) will serve as showrunner and executive producer on the series. “Shining Girls” marks Luisa’s first credit as a showrunner. Moss will also executive produce through Love & Squalor Pictures alongside Lindsey McManus. Jennifer Davidson will executive produce alongside DiCaprio for Appian Way. Beukes and Alan Page Arriaga will also serve as executive producers on the project.
Apple TV+ has announced a variety of projects recently, including the Gal Gadot-led “Hedy Lamarr,” the Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd-led “The Shrink Next Door,” and the Justin Timberlake-led “Palmer” feature film. Apple has begun to actively invest in high-profile feature films recently, such as the Tom Hanks-led “Greyhound” and Martin Scorsese’s upcoming “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which will star DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
Moss is one of Hollywood’s most prolific talents. Her most high-profile recent work has been starring in Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and she’s also starred in a variety of recent films such as Jordan Peele’s “Us,” Leigh Whannell’s “The Invisible Man,” and Josephine Decker’s “Shirley.”
IndieWire recently published a lengthy interview with Moss where she discussed a handful of topics including “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 4, Wes Anderson’s upcoming “The French Dispatch,” and her enthusiasm for the Chicago Cubs.
