Oprah Is Teaming Up with Apple to Create Original Programming

After Netflix lured Shonda Rhimes from ABC and Ryan Murphy from FX with blockbuster deals, Oprah Winfrey is following them into the streaming space by partnering with Apple to create content for the tech giant's upcoming streaming service.

TV Guide has learned that Oprah signed a multi-year deal to create original programming for Apple. This comes after Winfrey extended her contract with OWN to remain CEO of the network through 2025. In 2011, she partnered up with Discovery Communications to found the cable network, which is home to a number of series including Queen Sugar and the upcoming romantic dramedy Love Is ____.

Winfrey rose to fame as the host of the hit daytime talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran from September 8, 1986 to May 25, 2911. She went on to found Harpo Productions which developed the series Dr. Phil, The Dr. Oz Show and Rachael Ray. Her production company also produced a number of films including the Academy Award-winning movie Selma staring David Oyelowo.

The famed TV mogul also crossed over into acting, appearing in numerous films such as Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple, Lee Daniels' The Butler and Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time.

Apple already has a number of other projects in development including the romantic musical Little Voice from J.J. Abrams and Sara Bareilles, a psychological thriller from M. Night Shyamalan, the Octavia Spencer drama Are You Sleeping, a Kristen Wiig-fronted comedy, an untitled morning show dramedy from Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon, and the comedy Dickinson starring Hailee Steinfeld as the famous 19th century poet Emily Dickinson.