Country icon Naomi Judd, who died suddenly at age 76, and her daughter Wynonna are the subjects of the first installment of Icon, an anthology series in the works at Fox that sets out to profile some of the world’s biggest music legends.
The project, from producer Gail Berman and top country music manager Jason Owen, was announced in August 2020, with Naomi and Wynonna Judd as executive producers on the first season which tells their story.
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Icon was put through Fox’s script-to-series model, with The Morning Show exec producer Adam Milch as writer, executive producer and showrunner. I hear Naomi Judd was very involved in the process, sharing her experience and providing input in a series of conversations with Milch.
Multiple scripts have been written. While I hear Fox brass have been high on the project from the start and like what they have seen, a pickup decision was not expected to come before the upfronts next month when the broadcast networks present their fall lineups to advertisers. It is unclear whether that would change in light of Judd’s tragic passing, I hear that is a possibility.
“We are deeply saddened about the tragic loss of Naomi Judd,” Fox said in a statement. “A true giant and beloved by all, her work in music, film and television will forever entertain and inspire millions of people across the globe. Our thoughts are with the entire Judd family, their friends, loved ones and loyal fans.”
Icon tells the story of country music’s first mother/daughter duo, Naomi and Wynonna Judd.
The duo dominated country music in the 1980s and ’90s, winning countless awards, selling more than 20 million albums and creating a string of hits. The Judds stopped performing as a duo in 1991 after Naomi was diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Wynonna then began a successful solo career. The two occasionally have reunited for special tours, the most recent in 2010. They were set to embark on a final tour together this fall.
The series will spotlight the drama behind the glamour and the dynamic relationship between the pair. It will tell their story through the music and songs that shaped their career and the country music genre.
Berman and Hend Baghdady from The Jackal Group exec produce alongside Owen. Naomi and Wynonna Judd exec produce the first season, while their managers Les Borsai, Greg Hill, Cactus Moser and Larry Strickland produce. Fox Entertainment is the studio.
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