Lupita Nyong’o Exits ‘Lady In The Lake’ Apple Limited Series

Lupita Nyong’o Exits ‘Lady In The Lake’ Apple Limited Series

Lupita Nyong’o has exited Lady In The Lake, Apple’s limited series adaptation of Laura Lippman’s book. Nyong’o was to star alongside Natalie Portman, who remains in the series, sources confirm to Deadline.


The series is currently in production and a search is underway for a new actress to take over her role. Nyong’o also was on board as an executive producer.


The limited series takes place in 60s Baltimore, where an unsolved murder pushes housewife and mother, Maddie Schwartz, played by Portman, to reinvent her life as an investigative journalist and sets her on a collision course with Cleo Sherwood, the role played by Nyong’o, a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda.

Lady In The Lake is directed by Honey Boy helmer Alma Har’el, who co-created and co-writes with Colony and The Man In The High Castle writer Dre Ryan. The series is produced by Jean-Marc Vallée’s Crazyrose and Bad Wolf America, the U.S. arm of the His Dark Materials producer. Endeavor Content is the studio. Har’el wrote the pilot episode.


The straight-to-series order is exec produced by Portman, Har’el, Ryan, Christopher Leggett, who is Har’el’s producing partner through her new production company Zusa, Portman’s producing partner Sophie Mas, Crazyrose principals Jean-Marc Vallée and Nathan Ross, Bad Wolf America’s Julie Gardner and author Laura Lippman.


Variety was first to report Nyong’o’s exit.