Emmys winner Waller-Bridge pens major Amazon deal

September 25, 2019 - 15:21
Newly crowned multiple-Emmy-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge has signed a major new deal with Amazon after her creation Fleabag dominated the comedy awards at television's answer to the Oscars.
"Fleabag", a joint production between Amazon and the BBC, won six Emmys including best comedy series, as well as best actress and comedy writing for Phoebe Waller-Bridge herself. — AFP/VNA Photo

LOS ANGELES — Newly crowned multiple-Emmy-winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge has signed a major new deal with Amazon after her creation Fleabag dominated the comedy awards at television's answer to the Oscars.

British actress and writer Waller-Bridge, who also co-wrote spy thriller Killing Eve and upcoming James Bond film No Time To Die, confirmed her status as one of comedy's hottest properties at Sunday's awards.

Fleabag, a joint production between Amazon and the BBC, won six Emmys including best comedy series, as well as best actress and comedy writing for Waller-Bridge herself.

Waller-Bridge said in a statement Tuesday she was "insanely excited" to pen the new deal with Amazon, which Hollywood media reported was worth around $20 million per year over three years.

"Working with the team on Fleabag was the creative partnership dreams are made of. It really feels like home. I can't wait to get going!" she said.

Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, described Waller-Bridge as "clever, brilliant, generous and a virtuoso on multiple fronts including writing, acting and producing."

The statement said Waller-Bridge would create and produce new television content exclusively for its Amazon Prime platform, without giving details or confirming the size of the deal.

She will continue to executive produce HBO's romantic comedic thriller Run, it added.

Fleabag was an offbeat, irreverent series based on a one-woman play of the same name about a self-absorbed young Londoner struggling to deal with family, sex and social conventions.

Waller-Bridge, 34, has ruled out another season for the foreseeable future, telling a Los Angeles audience last month it had come "to a natural end."

"I have a fantasy of bringing 'Fleabag' back when I'm 50," she added.  AFP

E-paper