New OWN Projects Feature Toni Braxton, Justin Timberlake

NEW YORK: OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced a development slate featuring a roster of stars such as Toni Braxton, Justin Timberlake and Octavia Spencer.

Among the upcoming projects is the network’s first scripted TV film, My Name Is Love: The Darlene Love Story, a biopic set to star six-time Grammy-winner Toni Braxton as the titular singer. That film is scheduled to premiere this December.

Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer is set to star in the two-night-event miniseries Tulsa (working title), which is currently in development. And on May 11, the series Oprah’s Master Class returns for a fourth season with guest Justin Timberlake. Other celebrities expected to be featured in the show’s latest run are Whoopi Goldberg, Tim McGraw, Robin Roberts and Lionel Richie, among others.

The network is also bringing back Tyler Perry’s drama series The Haves and the Have Nots, with a new season starting May 27. Another Tyler Perry project will be Single Moms Clubs (working title), a 20-episode series that’s set to debut in the fall.

Finally, the network is slated to air sometime next year a seven-part series titled Belief that will explore humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than itself.

“Coming off our most-watched quarter in network history, we are excited to get to work on these new scripted projects with Octavia and Toni,” said Erik Logan, the president of OWN. “By diversifying our programming, we are also growing our audience, and these new projects put us in a great position to take the network to the next level.”

“Oprah, Erik and I have big dreams for OWN and you are seeing them come true,” added Sheri Salata, OWN’s president. “With multiple scripted films and series in active development, Justin Timberlake headlining our brand-new season of Oprah’s Master Class and the addition of an epic worldwide event like Belief, we are thrilled about what the future holds.”