Malala Yousafzai Partners With Apple TV+ To Create Content, Including Animation

Malala Yousafzai is strengthening her ties to Apple. The women’s rights activist and Nobel Peace laureate has partnered with the tech giant to create original programming for its Apple TV+ streaming service. With her new production company Extracurricular, Yousafzai will produce animation, children’s series, dramas, comedies, and documentaries.

Yousafzai, 23, is the author of multiple books and co-founder of the Malala Fund, which advocates for girls’ education worldwide. Apple has partnered with the non-profit organization.

The Pakistan-born, U.K.-based activist has a prior connection to the animation world. He Named Me Malala, Davis Guggenheim’s 2015 biographical documentary, contained animated segments (designed by Jason Carpenter and produced by Irene Kotlarz). The film won an Annie Award for best animated special production.

In an interview with Firstpost today, Yousafzai spoke of animation’s place in her life:

In my childhood, it was Cartoon Network and, you know, seeing Tom and Jerry, Courage, Scooby-Doo, and all of those tv cartoon shows. When you are a child — and especially when terrorism started — to know that there is sort of this world in cartoons where you can escape from the reality around you and just giggle and laugh and just entertain yourself. … I am a big fan of animation as well. I have not missed a single animation movie. It just keeps you engaged and entertained and also gives you very beautiful messages.

Apple TV+’s animation slate includes the feature Wolfwalkers, the series Snoopy in Space and Central Park, and the short film Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. The streamer has signed deals with the likes of the Maurice Sendak Foundation and Skydance Animation, acquiring the latter’s first two features Luck and Spellbound.