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With the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show now streaming in over 100 countries and regions around the world, I recently sat down with Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Bel Powley for an exclusive interview. If you’re not familiar with The Morning Show, the series is inspired by journalist Brian Stelter’s book, Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV and stars Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell. As the series begins, Aniston and Carell are the hosts of the number one morning news program (think Good Morning America or the Today show) titled The Morning Show. But almost immediately, Carell’s character is fired for sexual misconduct in the workplace and the first two episodes deal with the repercussions of his actions and how Witherspoon’s character enters the picture. The series is incredibly timely to what’s been happening in the real world. The Morning Show is written and executive produced by Kerry Ehrin (who also serves as showrunner) and also stars Mark Duplass, Billy Crudup, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Desean Terry, and Janina Gavankar. For more on The Morning Show you can read Adam Chitwood’s review or watch the trailer.

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Image via Apple

During the interview, Gugu Mbatha Raw and Bel Powley talked about why they loved the writing on the series, what people can look forward to, how it’s a world everyone is familiar with, being part of Apple TV+, how the show is incredibly timely in the post #MeToo movement, and more. In addition, Powley talks about making Judd Apatow’s improvised comedy, Staten Island, with Pete Davidson.

Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw & Bel Powley:

  • The quality of the writing.
  • How did the production of the show change during the making of the first season?
  • How the show is incredibly timely in the post #MeToo movement.
  • What can she say about Judd Apatow’s Staten Island?
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    Image via Apple
    How they have a two season pickup on The Morning Show and being part of Apple’s first batch of shows.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell, “The Morning Show” explores the cutthroat world of morning news and the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning. Told through the lens of two complicated women working to navigate the minefield of high-octane jobs while facing crises in both their personal and professional lives, “The Morning Show” is an unapologetically candid drama that looks at the power dynamics between women and men, and women and women, in the workplace.