Jessica Biel's Journey to Hollywood Success: From Near-Quitting to Award-Winning Producer

Jessica Biel reveals her struggle to break through in Hollywood before the hit series "The Sinner" turned her into an award-nominated producer.

Jessica Biel's path to Hollywood stardom wasn't always an easy one. Despite a successful career as an actress, the 42-year-old revealed that she almost gave it all up before she found her calling as a producer.

In a candid interview on "The Bright Side" podcast, Biel detailed her discouraging experience co-founding her production company, Iron Ocean, and struggling for over a decade to get a project picked up.

"Doors did not open at all, even being in the business for so long," Biel recalled. "I've had this production company with my partner, Michelle Purple, for 20 years. I started it with her when I was 22, and for the first 10 years, we had almost no success at all."

Despite their persistence, Biel and Purple faced constant rejections and struggled to get their stories told. They produced a short film and a full-length feature movie, but both projects failed to attract any interest.

Just when they were on the verge of giving up, they were introduced to the script for "The Sinner." The anthology series, which premiered in 2017, follows Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) as he investigates the motives behind mysterious crimes.

"When we were selling that show, Michelle and I looked at each other, and she said, 'If we don't sell this show, I'm quitting,'" Biel said. "I said, 'Me too, I'm quitting. I'm not doing this. I don't know — if this show doesn't sell, I don't know what people want. I don't know what to bring them. I don't understand this business anymore. I just don't get it anymore.'"

To their surprise, "The Sinner" was picked up in the room, and Biel's performance as troubled mother Cora Tannetti earned her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. The series ran for four seasons, further solidifying Biel's reputation as both an actress and a producer.

After the success of "The Sinner," Biel and Purple went on to produce the Hulu miniseries "Candy" and the hit thriller series "Cruel Summer." Biel's success as a producer is particularly notable given the challenges she faced in an industry that was historically dominated by male-oriented stories.

"It was a time when nobody cared about women's stories," Biel said. "It was before we had this amazing runway for powerful, complex female stories."

Despite her accomplishments, Biel remains humble and acknowledges the ongoing challenges of success in Hollywood.

"I don't find that my industry — or being an actor or producer — is easy in any way, shape or form," she said. "It is so much blood, sweat and tears that you put into getting these projects made, and so many of the things we work on never, ever come to fruition."

"I feel like most producers would say the same thing, that they have that experience, and it's very hard. And also on my own just sort of separating my company from my own acting career."

Biel's journey serves as both an inspiration and a reminder of the resilience required to achieve success in the entertainment industry.