2019 ‧ Drama ‧ 4 seasons
An inside look at the lives of the people who help America wake up in the morning, exploring the unique challenges faced by the team.
Alex Levy co-anchors The Morning Show (TMS), a popular morning news program broadcast from Manhattan on the UBA network, which has excellent viewership ratings and is perceived to have changed the face of American television.
In the first season, after her on-air partner of 15 years, Mitch Kessler, is fired amid a sexual misconduct scandal, Alex fights to retain her job as a top news anchor while paired with a new partner, Bradley Jackson, a field reporter whose series of impulsive decisions increasingly threatens the network.
In the second season, the network CEO attempts to convince Alex to return to TMS as the COVID-19 pandemic engulfs the United States and the show itself. Meanwhile, Bradley deals with an identity crisis.
In the third season, the network struggles for viewers for its subscription service and contemplates a takeover by tech titan Paul Marks.
The Morning Show, also known as Morning Wars in Australia and Indonesia, is an American drama television series starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Billy Crudup. The series premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. The series is inspired by Brian Stelter’s 2013 book Top of the Morning. The show examines the characters and culture behind a network broadcast morning news program. After allegations of sexual misconduct, the male co-anchor of the program is forced off the show. Aspects of the #MeToo movement are examined from multiple perspectives as more information comes out regarding the misconduct. Subsequent seasons focus on other political topics and current events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, racial inequality, the Capitol insurrection, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The second season premiered on September 17, 2021. In January 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on September 13, 2023. The series was renewed for a fourth season, which is scheduled to premiere on September 17, 2025. The series was renewed for a fifth season on September 16, 2025, ahead of the premiere of the fourth season.
The series has received accolades, including 27 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, ten Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and nine Golden Globe Award nominations. Jennifer Aniston and Billy Crudup have received particular acclaim for their performances, with Aniston winning the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in 2020 and earning two nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Billy Crudup winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2020 and 2024.
Jennifer Aniston as Alexandra “Alex” Levy, co-host of UBA’s TMS
Reese Witherspoon as Bradley Jackson, former TMS co-host and news anchor at UBA
Billy Crudup as Cory Ellison, CEO of UBA
Mark Duplass as Charlie “Chip” Black, executive producer of TMS
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Hannah Shoenfeld (season 1), talent booker for TMS
Néstor Carbonell as Yanko Flores, the meteorologist of TMS
Karen Pittman as Mia Jordan, a producer at TMS
Bel Powley as Claire Conway (seasons 1–2), a production assistant at TMS
Desean Terry as Daniel Henderson (seasons 1–2), co-host of the weekend edition of TMS
Jack Davenport as Jason Craig (season 1), Alex’s ex-husband
Steve Carell as Mitch Kessler (seasons 1–2), the recently fired co-host of The Morning Show
Greta Lee as Stella Bak (season 2–present), President of UBA’s news division
Ruairi O’Connor as Ty Fitzgerald (season 2), social media expert at UBA
Julianna Margulies as Laura Peterson (seasons 2–3), YDA co-host and former news anchor at UBA who has a relationship with Bradley
Nicole Beharie as Christine Hunter (season 3–present), a former Olympian and new TMS co-host
Jon Hamm as Paul Marks (season 3–present), a tech billionaire who attempts to buy UBA
Marion Cotillard as Celine Dumont (season 4), a savvy operator from a storied European family
Jeremy Irons as Martin Levy (season 4), Alex’s father
Aaron Pierre as Miles (season 4), Celine’s husband who has a romantic past with Stella.
William Jackson Harper as Ben (season 4), the network’s self-assured and innovative Head of Sports
Boyd Holbrook as Brodie (season 4), a popular and provocative podcaster and talk show host
Shari Belafonte as Julia
Victoria Tate as Rena Robinson, Chip’s assistant
Hannah Leder as Isabella
Joe Marinelli as Donny Spagnoli
Eli Bildner as Joel Rapkin
Amber Friendly as Layla Bell
Joe Pacheco as Bart Daley
Tom Irwin as Fred Micklen (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), UBA’s president
Janina Gavankar as Alison Namazi (seasons 1–2), co-host of the weekend edition of TMS
Joe Tippett as Hal Jackson, Bradley’s brother
Michelle Meredith as Lindsey Sherman (seasons 1–2)
Andrea Bendewald as Valérie (season 1; guest seasons 2–4)
Marcia Gay Harden as Maggie Brener (season 1; guest seasons 2–3), a reporter and journalist
Augustus Prew as Sean (season 1; guest season 2)
Katherine Ko as Dhillon Reece-Smit (season 1)
Ian Gomez as Greg (season 1)
Oona Roche as Lizzy Craig (season 1; guest season 2), Alex and Jason’s daughter
David Magidoff as Nicky Brooks (season 1)
Kate Vernon as Geneva Micklen (season 1)
Roman Mitichyan as Sam Rudo (season 1)
Theo Iyer as Kyle (seasons 2–4), Cory’s assistant
Choni Francis as RJ Smith (seasons 2–3)
Tara Karsian as Gayle Berman (seasons 2–3)
Holland Taylor as Cybil Reynolds (seasons 2–3), a seasoned board member of UBA
Valeria Golino as Paola Lambruschini (season 2), a documentarian who befriends Mitch in Italy
Aflamu Johnson as Aflamu (season 2; guest season 3 & 4)
Markus Flanagan as Gerald Drummond (season 2; guest seasons 1, 3)
Hasan Minhaj as Eric Nomani (season 2), Bradley’s new co-host
Patrick Bristow as Gordon (season 2)
Katie Aselton as Madeleine (season 2), Chip’s girlfriend
Jack Conley as Earl (season 3; guest season 2)
Tig Notaro as Amanda Robinson (season 3)
Stephen Fry as Leonard Cromwell (season 3)
Clive Standen as Andre Ford (season 3)
Natalie Morales as Kate Danton (season 3)
On November 8, 2017, it was announced that Apple had given the production a series order consisting of two seasons of ten episodes apiece. The series was set to be executive produced by Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jay Carson, and Michael Ellenberg. Carson was expected to act as a writer and showrunner for the series as well. Production companies involved with the series were slated to consist of Media Res, Echo Films, and Hello Sunshine. On April 4, 2018, it was announced that Carson had departed the production over creative differences. He was replaced as executive producer and showrunner by Kerry Ehrin. On July 11, 2018, it was reported that Mimi Leder would serve as a director and executive producer for the series. On October 23, 2018, it was reported that Kristin Hahn and Lauren Levy Neustadter would serve as additional executive producers for the series.
On June 22, 2020, Aniston revealed in a Variety interview with Lisa Kudrow that the show’s development began prior to the Me Too movement, but was ultimately reworked to include and partially focus on it.
The show cost $15 million per episode, with Aniston and Witherspoon each earning $2 million per episode, not including producing fees and ownership points. On January 10, 2022, Apple renewed the series for a third season.
On May 1, 2023, Apple renewed the series for a fourth season.
Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Aniston and Witherspoon had been cast in the series’ lead roles. In October 2018, it was announced that Steve Carell, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Billy Crudup, Néstor Carbonell and Mark Duplass had been cast in series regular roles. On November 7, 2018, it was reported that Bel Powley, Karen Pittman, and Desean Terry had joined the main cast of the series.
On October 9, 2020, Greta Lee and Ruairi O’Connor officially joined the second season as regular characters. On November 13, 2020, Hasan Minhaj was also announced as a new cast member. On December 3, 2020, Julianna Margulies announced she joined the second season of the series. In August 2022, it was announced that Jon Hamm and Nicole Beharie had joined the main cast for the third season, with Tig Notaro joining in a recurring role.
After the Apple Special Event of March 25, 2019, Witherspoon announced on Instagram that the series would premiere in the fall of 2019. It premiered on Apple TV+ on November 1, 2019. In January 2021, Apple announced that the second season would premiere in 2021. The second season premiered on September 17, 2021.The third season premiered on September 13, 2023. On May 28, 2025, it was announced that the fourth season is slated to premiere on September 17, 2025.
During the Apple Special Event, a teaser trailer was released with footage from the series as well as footage from other original series set to premiere on Apple TV+. Furthermore, Aniston, Witherspoon, and Carell were at the event to promote the series.On August 12, 2019, Apple released a first look trailer for the series. It was also revealed that the series would be titled Morning Wars in Australia, in order to distinguish the series from the Australian morning talk show of the same name.
Principal photography for the first season commenced on October 31, 2018, at the James Oviatt Building in Los Angeles. Filming continued in Los Angeles until filming started in New York City on May 9, 2019. Production on the first season also concluded that May, after seven months of filming.
Production on the second season began on February 24, 2020. On March 12, 2020, Apple TV+ halted production on the series due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second season resumed filming on October 19, 2020. Between February and March 2021, Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, Mark Duplass, and Hannah Leder were spotted in Los Angeles filming the second season. On May 18, 2021, filming for season two concluded.
Production on the third season began on August 16, 2022, and it was announced on February 11, 2023, that the season’s filming had wrapped up.
Production on the fourth season began on July 8, 2024, and wrapped on December 5, 2024