The Apple TV’s latest dramedy Lenni has Emmy winner Toni Collette (Pieces of Her, United States of Tara) playing the title character. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Collette plays Lenni, a child welfare worker and divorced mother of two kids and will be one of the executive producers for the show.
The show was based on a critical acclaimed Norwegian series called Pernille (2021- ). It follows the same premise as the series with Pernille, a middle-aged single mother and child protection worker in Oslo, Norway, trying to balance both her career and personal life. Lenni has started on production in Australia, going opposite ends of the Earth from the adaptation’s physical location in Norway. Madu Up Stories and Keshet International will produce the show with Dearbhla Walsh (Bad Sisters, Little Dorrit) directing and Sarah Scheller (The Letdown, Strife) adapting the Norwegian series. Executive Producers include Bruna Papandrea (Strife, Nine Perfect Strangers), Steve Hutensky (Wolf Like Me, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart), and Katie Amos (Zomboat!, Bite Club) from Made Up Stories. Avi Nir (Homeland, Ralph & Katie) and Keren Shahar (Total Control, Unconditional) from Keshet International. Pernille creator Henriette Steenstrup (Nepobaby, Detective Hole), Bård Fjulsrud (Grenseland, Meglerne) and Tanya Badendyck (Pernille, Harald & Sonja) will also be executive producers.
The cast for the series will include Ciarán Hinds (East of Eden, The Dry), Dan Wyllie (Love My Way, Wolf Like Me), Josh McKenzie (Stick, The Hunting Party), Celeste Barber (Colin from Accounts, The Letdown), Genevieve Hegney (Colin from Accounts, All Her Fault), Arka Das (The Airport Chaplain, The F Ward) and Wayne Blair (Total Control, Dalliance).
Collette had starred and credited in Mae Martin’s Wayward (2025) and Pieces of Her (2025) on Netflix, The Staircase (2022) at HBO Max and The Power (2023) at Prime Video. She was repped by CAA, United Management, Finley Management, and Jackoway Austen.