Jessica Biel on quitting Hollywood before 'The Sinner'

Jessica Biel was planning to quit Hollywood until the success of ‘The Sinner.’

Biel’s production company, Iron Ocean Studios, with producer Michelle Purple, was founded twenty years ago. 

‘The Sinner’ was the company’s biggest success. 

“Doors did not open at all, even being in the business for so long,” said the actress on the May 15 episode of ‘The Bright Side’ podcast.

“I started it with [Purple] when I was twenty-two, and for the first ten years, we had almost no success at all. We had a very challenging time getting any story told,” said the ‘7th Heaven’ actress. 

“When we were actually selling that show, Michelle and I looked at each other and she said, ‘If we don't sell this show, I'm quitting.’ And 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,’” added Biel. 

“And then we sold it in the room,” she continued talking about ‘The Sinner’. “It was so weird.”

“I don't find that my industry — or, being an actor or producer — is easy in any way, shape or form. 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,” shared Biel. 

All four seasons of ‘The Sinner’ can be streamed on Netflix.