Starz is developing “Dirty Girls Social Club,” a series based on the best-selling novel by Alisa Valdes with Ligiah Villalobos (“Under the Same Moon,” “Firelight,” “Go Diego, Go!”) serving as showrunner. Anne Thomopoulos (“The Collection,” “Rome,” “Borgia,” “Versailles”) and veteran network executive Lucia Cottone will also serve as executive producers.
“The Dirty Girls Social Club” follows 6 Latina women of diverse backgrounds who become fast friends at Boston University and thereafter meet as a group every few months. Now in their late twenties, they’re each on the cusp of the life they want.
From Amazon’s description of the novel series, the 6 Latina women are:
— Lauren, the resident “caliente” columnist for the local paper, which advertises her work with the line “her casa is su casa, Boston,” but whose own home life has recently involved hiding in her boyfriend’s closet to catch him in the act.
–Elizabeth, the stunning black Latina whose high profile job as a morning television anchor conflicts with her intensely private personal life, which would explain why the dates the other dirty girls set her up on never work out
–Sara, the perfect wife and mother who always knew exactly the life she wanted and got it, right down to the McMansion in the suburbs and two boisterious boys, but who is paying a hefty price
–Amber, the most idealistic and artistic member of the club, who was raised a valley girl without a word of Spanish and whose increasing attachment to her Mexica roots coincides with a major record label’s interest in her rock ‘n’ roll
–Rebecca, intense and highly controlled, who flawlessly runs Ella, the magazine she created for Latinas, but who can’t explain why she didn’t understand the man she married and now doesn’t even share a room with; and
— Usnavys, Ghetto-elegant, irrepressible and larger than life, whose agenda to land the kind of man who can keep her in Manolo Blahniks and platanos almost prevents her seeing true love when it lands in her lap.
Starz’s adaptation of the series is described as a dynamic and sexy half-hour show about six diverse professional women living in New York City who have known each other since college. Ten years later, and through professional and personal successes, failures and heartaches, the one thing they can always count on is each other. The series will explore womanhood in all its glory, with both humor and drama, and always with heart.
Apparently, NBC previously wanted to adapt the novel series, but Valdes, the author, disapproved of the adaptation because NBC changed the race and ethnicity of several of the characters, and over-sexualized others. The project was scrapped after that. I assume Starz plans to stick to the source material.
“’The Dirty Girls Social Club’ is a wonderful story about friendship with complex, nuanced characters,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz. “We couldn’t be happier to work with Ligiah and to have her bring Alisa’s bestselling novel to life. We are proud to develop a series that celebrates cultural diversity, produced by a diverse group of women.”
“I cannot think of a better home for this project than Starz. I am thrilled to be working with so many visionary, brilliant and creative people,” Valdes said. “The team the network put together is truly phenomenal. For me, this is a dream come true and I am so thankful to everyone who worked to make this deal reality. I can’t wait to see my characters come to life on screen.”
Alisa Valdes is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of more than a dozen novels, an award-winning print and broadcast journalist and former staff writer for both the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe. Valdes published her first novel, “The Dirty Girls Social Club,” over a decade ago and was named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States by Time Magazine.
Senior Vice President of Original Programming Marta Fernandez will be the Starz executive in charge of “Dirty Girls Social Club.”
