‘My Kind of Country’: Apple TV+ competition series seeks the next big thing in country music
As a force in Hollywood, Reese Witherspoon has few peers.
As a prolific actress, she has a formidable list of films to her credit, including “Election,” “Wild,” Legally Blonde,““Water for Elephants,““Four Christmasas“and “Sweet Home Alabama.“And in 2006, she garnered a best actress Oscar for “Walk the Line,“in which as country singer June Carter Cash she proved she can also carry a tune.
But it’s in the TV arena where she’s currently making a name for herself as an executive producer, and through her production company Hello Sunshine she comes forth with another on Apple TV+.
In “My Kind of Country,” premiering Friday, March 24, she and country artist Kacey Musgraves are among the producers of this eight-part competition series that endeavors to break down barriers in country music by providing opportunity to diverse artists from around the world.
Here, scouts and country artists Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck each hand-pick a roster of up-and-coming artists to invite to Nashville, Tenn., where they showcase their talents and sound. In the end, the winner will receive life-changing support from Apple Music and exposure on the platform.
It’s the latest in a growing list of TV shows Witherspoon has produced in recent years, joining the following.
“Big Little Lies” (2017-19, HBO): Witherspoon helped assemble an impressive cast including Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Zoe Kravitz and Laura Dern for this tale of a murder investigation involving a group of well-heeled wives in tony Monterey, Calif. A boatload of Emmys followed, including one for outstanding limited series. Witherspoon herself would get a lead actress nod.
“The Morning Show” (2019-21, Apple TV+): The culture behind a successful morning news show beset by sexual misconduct and COVID-19 is put under the microscope in this drama series that starred Witherspoon, Steve Carell and Jennifer Aniston as anchors. This series was also a favorite on the awards circuit with multiple Emmy nominations, including another lead actress nod for Witherspoon.
“Little Fires Everywhere” (2020, Hulu): The intertwined fates of a picture-perfect family and the enigmatic mother and daughter at the heart of it is the premise of this drama series starring executive producers Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, as well as Joshua Jackson, Rosemarie Dewitt and Lexi Underwood.
“Surface” (2022-present, Apple TV+): Witherspoon remained behind the scenes for this psychological thriller series about a woman (Gugu Mbatha-raw) trying to rebuild her life following a suicide attempt and remember why she tried to kill herself in the first place. Oliver Jackson-cohen, Ari Graynor and Francois Arnaud also star.