Lauren LeFranc has made the first hire at her newly-launched production company.
LeFranc, who served as showrunner on the hit HBO series “The Penguin,” has brought on Rachel Jacobs to serve as the head of TV and film for Acid and Tender Productions. Variety exclusively reported earlier in August that LeFranc was hoisting her new production banner under an overall deal with HBO and HBO Max.
“I am thrilled to be joining Lauren at Acid and Tender Productions,” said Jacobs. “I have so much respect for her perspective and approach to the business. Her aspiration for the company is bold and artist-driven; it’s exactly the kind of work I want to support.”
Jacobs was previously the senior vice president of film and television at Borderless Pictures, during which time she developed projects with writers like Gina Welch and Will Arbery. Jacobs originally began her career in Publishing at Penguin Random House before she joined Steven Zalian’s Film Rites. Since then, she has worked on shows like “The Night Of” at HBO and features like “Bad Education.” She has also worked for the Sundance Institute as well as Sight Unseen Pictures, where she developed and executive produced the award-winning film “A Thousand and One.”
“The Penguin” proved to be a hit with both audiences and critics when it launched in September 2024. The show received 24 Emmy nominations, including best limited series and best actor, actress, and supporting actress in a limited series for Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, and Deirdre O’Connell respectively. “The Penguin” received the second-most Emmy nominations of any program this year, behind only the Apple TV+ series “Severance.”
