LOS ANGELES • Apple reached a multi-year agreement with former Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfus to produce and star in new projects for its TV+ streaming service, adding more big-name talent to its fledgling video effort.

The actress and producer is known for her roles as Jerry Seinfeld's best friend on the show, which ran from 1989 to 1998, and most recently as the lead in HBO's Veep. The long-time comedian, who has won eight Emmy Awards as an actor and three as a producer, also performed on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s. No financial terms of the deal were released.

"I am thrilled about this new partnership with my friends at Apple," Louis-Dreyfus said in a statement the company released last Friday announcing the agreement.

"Also, many thanks and kudos to my representatives for structuring the deal in such a way that I am paid in AirPods."

Apple has cut several similar agreements for its TV+ service, including with media mogul Oprah Winfrey and director Alfonso Cuaron. The company is also working with other top Hollywood names like director Steven Spielberg and actress Jennifer Aniston.

Despite the deals, it is unclear how well Apple TV+ is performing. Apple said last year the service would not immediately have an impact on its financial results, and the company has not shared any data to indicate viewership or sign-ups for the US$4.99 (S$6.70) monthly subscription streaming service. An accurate assessment may not come until after Apple's first free-year promotions for the service begin expiring.

Apple is banking on services like TV+ to boost revenue as sales growth slows for its central device, the iPhone. The company generated almost 18 per cent of its US$260 billion 2019 fiscal year revenue from services.

BLOOMBERG