Alena Smith, the creator of Apple TV+’s Hailee Steinfeld-led series Dickinson, has signed a multi-year overall deal with Apple, reports The Wrap.
Under the pact, Smith will develop television projects exclusively for Apple TV+, while remaining showrunner and executive producer on the period comedy. Dickinson — which has been renewed for season two, but isn’t yet filming — is a half-hour comedy on Apple TV+ starring Oscar-nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 3, True Grit) in the title role of 1800s poet Emily Dickinson. It’s set during Emily Dickinson’s era with a modern sensibility and tone.
Smith’s previous TV credits include The Affair and The Newsroom. Smith began her career in entertainment as a playwright, with her play Icebergs premiering Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles in 2016. Her other published plays include The Bad Guys, Plucker, The Lacy Project, and The New Sincerity.