The Hollywood Model: TV Writer Jennifer Hoppe
“I realized that it didn’t matter if a paycheck was written to me, I was still a writer. And I got zen about it. I thought, ‘well, this is my life, and if i failed to do exactly what I wanted to do, at least I succeeded somewhere and I’m cool about it.’ That’s what happened. I just let go and it happened for me.”
Jennifer Hoppe is an award-winning film and television writer based in Los Angeles. She has written for hit shows like the multi-Emmy Award-winning Nurse Jackie (starring Edie Falco), Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Damages (Glenn Close), and Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominee Grace & Frankie (Jane Fonda and Lilly Tomlin). She's sold pilots to HBO, Fox, and Lifetime. And she's written numerous movie scripts and plays.
Hoppe is currently producing her own show for Apple TV+, a new comedy series featuring Patricia Arquette. Its working title is High Desert and it follows a recovering methadone addict who suffers a midlife crisis and decides she's missed her calling as a private detective.
TV Writer Jennifer Hoppe
In this episode, Hoppe shares candidly about her long and winding ascent to the top of a notoriously competitive industry.
Her 25-year-long solo path hasn't been easy: She's been fired from nearly every traditional job she's ever held, flunked out of college, and battled years of drug and alcohol addiction.
And yet here she is, more productive than ever and thriving as an independent.
We delve into it all: Hoppe's best and worst work habits, how the pandemic has transformed television writing, and general tips on how to survive a lifetime of self-employment.
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Hoppe's latest show, High Desert will premiere on Apple TV+ next Spring. For more information, follow her on Twitter @Hoppe_House
Show Notes
Coming soon.