When Jennette McCurdy released her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died in 2022, the title alone sent shockwaves across pop culture.
But the book’s content proved even more compelling. In it, McCurdy, best known for her role as Sam Puckett on iCarly, offered an unfiltered account of growing up under the tight grip of a narcissistic, manipulative mother who pushed her into child stardom, restricted her food intake, and dictated nearly every aspect of her life.
The memoir was lauded for its honesty and dark humor, debuting at number one on the New York Times bestseller list and remaining there for over a year. Now, this powerful and deeply personal story is headed to television with an unexpected star.
Jennifer Aniston Enters a New Era
Jennifer Aniston, long associated with the lovable and sarcastic Rachel Green on Friends and more recently with her Emmy-nominated role in The Morning Show, will play the mother role in the Apple TV+ adaptation. The character, based on McCurdy’s real-life mother Debra, is described as overbearing, narcissistic, and obsessed with her daughter’s fame.
This role marks a dramatic departure for Aniston. She’s no stranger to playing complicated women in high-stakes environments, but this project pushes her into rawer, darker territory than we’ve seen from her before.
A Series with Serious Firepower Behind the Scenes
The series has received a ten-episode order from Apple TV+ and boasts an impressive team of creatives. Jennette McCurdy herself is co-writing, showrunning, and executive producing the adaptation alongside Ari Katcher, known for Ramy and The Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show. Apple Studios is producing the series.
Sharon Horgan and Stacy Greenberg for Merman, Dani Gorin, Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara for LuckyChap Entertainment, the same team behind Barbie, are also on board. Jerrod Carmichael and Erica Kay will also executive produce.
The Story at the Center: A Mother, a Daughter, and a Dangerous Dynamic
According to the official logline, the show is a “heartbreaking and hilarious recounting” of a teenage actress’s struggles while dealing with a domineering mother. It centers on an 18-year-old girl who stars in a hit kids’ show, and her increasingly toxic relationship with a mother who sees herself not as a parent, but as “a starlet’s mom.”
It’s a tale of codependency, control, and eventual self-liberation, all told with the biting wit and emotional honesty that made the memoir a phenomenon.
A New Chapter for Apple TV+
This series marks another bold move by Apple TV+, which has succeeded with grounded dramas like The Morning Show and sharp, female-led dark comedies like Bad Sisters, created by Sharon Horgan. The streamer’s continued collaboration with Horgan and Aniston suggests a growing appetite for complicated, genre-defying storytelling.
With McCurdy in charge of her own narrative and a high-profile cast and crew supporting her vision, I’m Glad My Mom Died has the potential to be one of Apple’s most talked-about series yet. It promises an unflinching look at the darker side of fame, and the personal cost of making others happy at your own expense.
No release date has been announced, but with this team and this story, it’s safe to say this is one to watch closely.
