Cathy Schulman’s Welle Entertainment is Bringing Layne Fargo’s Bestseller ‘The Favorites’ to Netflix, with Kate Gersten from ‘The Last Showgirl’ Writing the Script
Oscar-Winning Producer Cathy Schulman Teams with Netflix for ‘The Favorites’ Adaptation
Oscar-winning producer Cathy Schulman, known for her work on The Idea of You and Crash, is collaborating with Netflix to adapt Layne Fargo’s bestselling novel The Favorites. The project will be produced under her Welle Entertainment banner, which continues to expand its footprint in the film industry.
Kate Gersten, acclaimed for her writing on Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl, will pen the screenplay for the adaptation. Schulman will oversee production for Welle Entertainment, with Kate Roughan serving as executive producer.
The novel The Favorites, which captures the emotional intensity of elite figure skating, emerges on the heels of recent Olympic performances by Madison Chock, Evan Bates, and American gold medalist Alysa Liu. It narrates the tumultuous journey of ice dancers Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha, tracing their complex professional and personal relationship over a decade. The story explores themes of ambition, trauma, and the precarious balance between passion and self-destruction.
Published by Random House in January, the book has been well-received, selling in 28 markets and translated into 27 languages.
Gersten, a Writers Guild of America Award nominee, has a diverse writing background, contributing to series such as Mozart in the Jungle, The Good Place, and Schmigadoon!. She is represented by CAA and Gregg Gellman at Yorn Levine.
Welle Entertainment, which recently produced the Fox series Memory of a Killer starring Patrick Dempsey, has garnered notable success with The Idea of You, featuring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. This film achieved a record for the largest rom-com debut on streaming, attracting nearly 50 million viewers in its first two weeks. Additionally, Welle’s credits include Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Golden Globe-nominated film The Woman King, starring Viola Davis.
Fargo is represented by CAA and Sharon Pelletier at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret.
