During a recent Gold Derby video interview, news and features editor Ray Richmond spoke in-depth with Liev Schreiber about his role in the eight-part, Holocaust-themed limited series “A Small Light” from National Geographic, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmy Awards. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
By his own admission, Liev Schreiber wasn’t particularly eager to go back to work. He had spent eight years starring in the Showtime series “Ray Donovan” and was “really enjoying” being off and being home with his kids. But when he was sent the script for the National Geographic eight-part limited series “A Small Light” just before making his second trip to Ukraine in support of that nation’s war against Russia, he realized he couldn’t say no.
“It just seemed like the right story at the right time,” the nine-time Emmy nominee stresses. “There...
By his own admission, Liev Schreiber wasn’t particularly eager to go back to work. He had spent eight years starring in the Showtime series “Ray Donovan” and was “really enjoying” being off and being home with his kids. But when he was sent the script for the National Geographic eight-part limited series “A Small Light” just before making his second trip to Ukraine in support of that nation’s war against Russia, he realized he couldn’t say no.
“It just seemed like the right story at the right time,” the nine-time Emmy nominee stresses. “There...
- 6/23/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
During a recent Gold Derby video interview, news and features editor Ray Richmond spoke in-depth with Bel Powley about her starring role in the eight-part, Holocaust-themed limited series “A Small Light” from National Geographic, which is eligible at the 2023 Emmy Awards. Watch the full video above and read the complete interview transcript below.
“I don’t think many people know the story of Miep (Gies),” believes Bel Powley, the British-born actress who portrays her in the eight-part Nat Geo limited series “A Small Light” that has now premiered on the channel and the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. “In terms of our industry, in terms of film and television, I think one of the reasons for it is that pre-#MeToo, people weren’t making shows or spending money on projects with stories about women. I’ve been searching for a role like this my entire career. Post-#MeToo,...
“I don’t think many people know the story of Miep (Gies),” believes Bel Powley, the British-born actress who portrays her in the eight-part Nat Geo limited series “A Small Light” that has now premiered on the channel and the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. “In terms of our industry, in terms of film and television, I think one of the reasons for it is that pre-#MeToo, people weren’t making shows or spending money on projects with stories about women. I’ve been searching for a role like this my entire career. Post-#MeToo,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
National Geographic’s “A Small Light” takes the well known story of Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who hid in a cramped Amsterdam attic with her family during the Nazi occupation, and presents it though a new lens.
The narrative focuses on a tenacious young woman, Miep Gies (Bel Powley), Otto Frank’s secretary, who risked everything to save the Frank family and many others. While the story centers around the horrors of World War II, the story finds resilience and hope through it all.
Here the artisans behind the limited series break down how their respective crafts reflect hope, resilience and the atrocities of war.
Costume design
Costume designer Matthew Simonelli wanted to pay respect to the period and region. “It had to feel 1942, but that it was taking place in Amsterdam,” Simonelli says.
The Amsterdam Museum‘s exhibit on wartime fashion was his biggest guide where he was...
The narrative focuses on a tenacious young woman, Miep Gies (Bel Powley), Otto Frank’s secretary, who risked everything to save the Frank family and many others. While the story centers around the horrors of World War II, the story finds resilience and hope through it all.
Here the artisans behind the limited series break down how their respective crafts reflect hope, resilience and the atrocities of war.
Costume design
Costume designer Matthew Simonelli wanted to pay respect to the period and region. “It had to feel 1942, but that it was taking place in Amsterdam,” Simonelli says.
The Amsterdam Museum‘s exhibit on wartime fashion was his biggest guide where he was...
- 6/21/2023
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Bel Powley stars in the National Geographic series “A Small Light” as Miep Gies, the woman who helped hide Otto Frank and his family during WWII. During a reception for the show Thursday at the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood, the actor recalled being on set when she first heard about Kanye West’s antisemitic comments in October 2022.
“We were filming the show when all of the Kanye stuff was happening,” Powley told me. “I was obviously living in the world of the show, which has a lot of Nazi rhetoric because we’re making a show about the Nazi occupation in 1942, but then suddenly seeing and hearing that same rhetoric spoken now by a world-famous celebrity with huge influence was so freaky and unsettling and saddening.”
During a Q&a earlier in the evening, moderator Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) took off her Star of David necklace and gave it...
“We were filming the show when all of the Kanye stuff was happening,” Powley told me. “I was obviously living in the world of the show, which has a lot of Nazi rhetoric because we’re making a show about the Nazi occupation in 1942, but then suddenly seeing and hearing that same rhetoric spoken now by a world-famous celebrity with huge influence was so freaky and unsettling and saddening.”
During a Q&a earlier in the evening, moderator Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) took off her Star of David necklace and gave it...
- 6/16/2023
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Bel Powley Says She Was ‘Blown Away by How Contemporary’ Making Holocaust Drama ‘A Small Light’ Felt
This story about Bel Powley and “A Small Light” first appeared in the Limited Series / TV Movies issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
Like so many of us, Bel Powley read “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank when she was in school. But she was less familiar with the woman responsible for the world’s awareness of the diary: Miep Gies. The secretary of Otto Frank, Gies helped hide the Frank family from the Nazis for two years in Amsterdam and kept Anne’s diary safe after the family was arrested in 1945.
“I know a lot about this part of history — the big historical and political backdrop — but I didn’t know anything about Miep or the Dutch resistance,” Powley said. So playing Gies in the National Geographic limited series “A Small Light” was a daunting experience — but also a deeply rewarding one. “It’s so rare...
Like so many of us, Bel Powley read “The Diary of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank when she was in school. But she was less familiar with the woman responsible for the world’s awareness of the diary: Miep Gies. The secretary of Otto Frank, Gies helped hide the Frank family from the Nazis for two years in Amsterdam and kept Anne’s diary safe after the family was arrested in 1945.
“I know a lot about this part of history — the big historical and political backdrop — but I didn’t know anything about Miep or the Dutch resistance,” Powley said. So playing Gies in the National Geographic limited series “A Small Light” was a daunting experience — but also a deeply rewarding one. “It’s so rare...
- 6/5/2023
- by Missy Schwartz
- The Wrap
President Franklin Roosevelt, in a moment of fury and exasperation a year before America entered the Second World War, confided in Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr. “If I should die tomorrow, I want you to know this,” Fdr said. “I am absolutely convinced Charles Lindbergh is a Nazi.” That is one of many shattering moments in “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” an enthralling, seven-hour PBS docuseries directed by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein.
Sarah Botstein, Lynn Novick and Ken Burns
This is an incredibly knotty, intricate and frustrating part of history, and as directors, you seem to really lean into the maddening quality of it. Is that accurate?
Ken Burns It is very frustrating to watch because you can understand how, retrospectively, the simplistic among us might say, “The Holocaust happened and there must be an American responsible.” So a lot of the blame goes to Fdr when,...
Sarah Botstein, Lynn Novick and Ken Burns
This is an incredibly knotty, intricate and frustrating part of history, and as directors, you seem to really lean into the maddening quality of it. Is that accurate?
Ken Burns It is very frustrating to watch because you can understand how, retrospectively, the simplistic among us might say, “The Holocaust happened and there must be an American responsible.” So a lot of the blame goes to Fdr when,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
Miep Gies stood out as a symbol of courage, resilience, and compassion in the National Geographic production A Small Light. Miep Gies, a real-life figure, played a pivotal role in sheltering Anne Frank’s family during the horrors of the Holocaust. Her undying determination and selflessness were masterfully portrayed in the series, leading the audience to fall in love with her character. Portrayed by Bel Powley, Miep Gies was initially introduced as a vibrant and spirited young woman seeking employment to avoid the societal pressure of marriage. Her rebellious nature shone through as she challenged traditional expectations. When she was hired by Otto Frank to work at his pectin company, Opekta, her professionalism was evident, but it was her deep bond and friendship with the Frank family that truly stood out. This connection served as the cornerstone of her commitment to safeguard and support them despite the dreadful situation of war.
- 5/25/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
The National Geographic production A Small Light skillfully captures the atmosphere of Amsterdam during the 1940s amidst the ongoing turmoil of World War II. Under the watchful and oppressive eye of the Nazis, many Jewish families faced the grave risk of capture and subsequent deportation to death camps. Some managed to find secret shelter within the city, while others sought refuge in hidden locations. Among them were the renowned diarist Anne Frank and her family, who found solace in a secret annex. The series poignantly portrays their harrowing journey and the individuals who aided them, notably Miep Gies, Otto Frank’s secretary, who played a pivotal role in hiding these Jewish families. However, tragedy ultimately befell the Franks and their fellow hiding companions when some Nazi Gestapos raided Otto Frank’s office premises and found the hidden Jews in a secret annex.
Spoilers Ahead
Otto Frank
Born in Frankfurt, Germany,...
Spoilers Ahead
Otto Frank
Born in Frankfurt, Germany,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Previously in A Small Light, episode 7, Gestapo officers stormed the office building of Opekta, holding Miep and the others at gunpoint. One of the Gestapo officers suspected the bookshelf was a door to a secret annex, leading to the Franks’ capture. Opekta’s manager, Mr. Kuglar, and another employee named Kleiman were detained, but they begged Miep to be released. Miep attempted to bribe a Viennese Gestapo officer but failed to secure the release of the Jews. The Franks and others were captured and taken away by the Nazis. Jan worried for Miep’s safety, and Kuno left their house. Miep and Jan devised a plan to bribe the Nazis with money to secure the release of the Franks, Pels, and Pfeffer.
Spoilers Ahead
Why Was There No Food In Amsterdam?
The final episode of A Small Light begins with Miep going to the Nazi council to negotiate for the...
Spoilers Ahead
Why Was There No Food In Amsterdam?
The final episode of A Small Light begins with Miep going to the Nazi council to negotiate for the...
- 5/23/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Moments of joy are hard to come by as A Small Light continues telling the story of Anne Frank and the people she loved. But the limited series’ upcoming finale offers a big, if bittersweet, one: Otto Frank’s return to Amsterdam at the end of World War II.
As you’ll see in the exclusive sneak peek above, Jan (played by Peaky Blinders‘ Joe Cole) gets word that Anne’s father is coming home after the liberation of the concentration camp where he’d been held. Though Miep’s husband is beside himself with excitement, Miep herself (The Morning Show...
As you’ll see in the exclusive sneak peek above, Jan (played by Peaky Blinders‘ Joe Cole) gets word that Anne’s father is coming home after the liberation of the concentration camp where he’d been held. Though Miep’s husband is beside himself with excitement, Miep herself (The Morning Show...
- 5/22/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
NatGeo’s widely acclaimed new limited series “A Small Light” chronicles the heroism of Miep Gies and several other brave Amsterdam residents who hid Anne Frank and her family, as well as four other people from the Nazis in a hidden attic apartment in Otto Frank’s office building. After the eight Jewish residents were arrested and sent to concentration camps in 1944, it was Gies who saved Anne’s diary and kept it in her desk drawer. Otto Frank, who was the only member of the immediate family who survived the camps — Anne died of typhus in March 1945 at Bergen-Belson — returned to Amsterdam, Gies gave him Anne’s diary. And in 1947 “The Diary of a Young Girl” was published in Europe. Five years later, “Diary” made its way to America. It has been translated into over 67 languages.
Anne had received a red checkered autograph book for her 13th birthday on...
Anne had received a red checkered autograph book for her 13th birthday on...
- 5/17/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
In A Small Light Episode 5, Jan’s secret involvement in the resistance was no longer hidden from Miep. Miep’s brother, Cas, happened to be at a homosexual bar where the Resistance fighters gathered. He informed Miep that he had seen Jan there, talking to members of the resistance party. Miep was filled with fear upon learning that her husband would be participating in the upcoming bombing plan at the civil registry office, which would undoubtedly lead to the deaths of these fighters. However, Jan chose to back off from participating in the attack at the request of Willem Arondeus. This decision brought great relief to Miep, who eventually found her husband alive and well. Despite Jan’s absence, the attack on the civil registry office was successfully orchestrated. Unfortunately, Arondeus and the other attackers were apprehended and subsequently sentenced to death.
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened To Kuno?
A Small...
Spoilers Ahead
What Happened To Kuno?
A Small...
- 5/17/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Previously in episode 3 of A Small Light, Miep and Jan attempted to locate a secure location for Frannie’s children, and thanks to one of the resistance’s members, Willem Arondeus, Jan was able to move the children to a safe haven. Meanwhile, Tonny Ahlers, an Nsb messenger who had been blackmailing Otto Frank for some time, began looking for him and roaming around his workplace premises. Miep grew very anxious about Tonny since he might summon the Nazis at any time and have them search the building for the hidden Jewish families.
Spoilers Ahead
Where Did Miep Find Her Husband Going?
The fourth episode opens with a thrilling situation in the annex, where Miep is unable to locate any of the Franks or the other Jewish families. She searched all of the compartments and eventually found them all hiding in the attic. The entire office premise is untidy, with items tossed here and there,...
Spoilers Ahead
Where Did Miep Find Her Husband Going?
The fourth episode opens with a thrilling situation in the annex, where Miep is unable to locate any of the Franks or the other Jewish families. She searched all of the compartments and eventually found them all hiding in the attic. The entire office premise is untidy, with items tossed here and there,...
- 5/10/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
The National Geographic production A Small Light, in its previous two episodes, had successfully established a strong emphasis on the fate of the Jews in a Nazi-affected Netherlands during World War II. However, certain Dutch families at the time, including Miep and Jan Gies, offered to aid in protecting these Jewish families from Nazi entrapment. Miep and her husband, Jan Gies, were successful in sheltering the German Jewish businessman Otto Frank and his family in a covert annex of Otto Frank’s office premises. As more Jews joined the hideout, Miep found it impossible to continue gathering rations for all of them. They found it difficult to hide the Jews and move around in plain sight in front of the Nazis, but they did their best to make it seem as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, Jan received a proposition from his company to join the resistance movement, which he enthusiastically accepted.
- 5/10/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
National Geographic's A Small Light continues tonight with another two episodes.
TV Fanatic scored an exclusive first look at what's ahead, and it looks like things are going from bad to worse for Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber).
In the clip, we see Miep (Bel Powley) speak to Otto about recent events and how things might change very soon.
Otto is worried about the Nsb officer snooping around, but Miep tries to calm him down.
With his back pushed against the wall, Otto ponders what will happen next.
It's an excellent look at the series and how Miep tries to help Otto by making him realize that he's a wonderful father and has made the right decisions.
Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his...
TV Fanatic scored an exclusive first look at what's ahead, and it looks like things are going from bad to worse for Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber).
In the clip, we see Miep (Bel Powley) speak to Otto about recent events and how things might change very soon.
Otto is worried about the Nsb officer snooping around, but Miep tries to calm him down.
With his back pushed against the wall, Otto ponders what will happen next.
It's an excellent look at the series and how Miep tries to help Otto by making him realize that he's a wonderful father and has made the right decisions.
Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his...
- 5/8/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Previously, in episode 1 of A Small Light, we already knew how Miep met Otto Frank. She met the love of her life, Jan Gies, at a pub; however, their first meeting was not a particularly memorable experience for them. Later, the two of them eventually crossed paths and tied the knot. Meanwhile, during the German invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, Otto Frank asked Miep to help them hide in an annex, marking them safe from the Nazi attack. Miep decided to help Otto without hesitation, and she demonstrated her usefulness by securely transporting Otto’s eldest daughter, Margot, to the secret annex in Otto Frank’s office building. In A Small Light episode 2, we’ll find out what the future holds for Miep and the Franks.
Spoilers Ahead
How Did Miep And Jan Manage To Collect Rations For The Franks?
In the eerie opening scene of A Small Light Episode...
Spoilers Ahead
How Did Miep And Jan Manage To Collect Rations For The Franks?
In the eerie opening scene of A Small Light Episode...
- 5/4/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
A National Geographic production, A Small Light, is based on the true account of Dutch citizen Miep Gies, who, with the help of her husband, managed to find a safe haven for Otto Frank and his family, as well as other Jewish families, from the Nazis. The Nazi invasion of the Netherlands in 1940, at the start of World War II, was a foreseeable threat, particularly for the Jews, who were being persecuted by the Nazis. In order to protect his family from the approaching Nazi menace, Otto Frank reached out to his secretary, Miep Gies, and her husband for assistance. Otto wished to escape the Netherlands but lacked the necessary resources to do so. Miep and Jan supplied the Franks with a safe haven in a hidden annex on Otto’s office grounds. Despite the danger of being apprehended by the Nazis, Miep and Jan were determined to assist and support the Franks,...
- 5/4/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
The big developments in May: summer movie season kicks off in earnest with new Marvel movies and the latest in a long-running, car-centric franchise, Fast X, while a major streaming service undergoes a name change (or at least a name shortening).
On May 23, HBO Max becomes simply Max, but it will still be home to HBO series. Got that? Good. Because there’s plenty to watch on HBO, Max, all the other streaming services and networks and it’s a busy month in theaters, too.
Let’s start with a...
On May 23, HBO Max becomes simply Max, but it will still be home to HBO series. Got that? Good. Because there’s plenty to watch on HBO, Max, all the other streaming services and networks and it’s a busy month in theaters, too.
Let’s start with a...
- 5/3/2023
- by Keith Phipps
- Rollingstone.com
“Until this project, I didn’t even know that Anne Frank had a sister,” admits Ashley Brooke, who portrays Anne’s older sibling Margot Frank in the Holocaust-themed eight-part limited series “A Small Light” that premiered with a pair of episodes on May 1 on Nat Geo and repeated May 2 on Disney+ and Hulu. “I’ve had Anne’s diary in my room since I was a little girl, and was told the story at a young age. But I must have forgotten a lot because I really had to start at ground zero when I started researching Margot. I fell in love with her little quirks. She’s really the opposite of Anne in terms of personality, more quiet and reserved. She likes to follow the rules.” Watch the exclusive video interview above.
Unfortunately, this was a time where the rules didn’t matter, particularly for the Jews of Europe.
Unfortunately, this was a time where the rules didn’t matter, particularly for the Jews of Europe.
- 5/3/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Despite erratic nationwide weather pattern, May Day 2023 has nevertheless brought with it a palpable sense of Spring reverie and renewal—not least of all in movie theaters and on streaming platforms. The freshly-launched Writers Strike (necessary and overdue) will no doubt result in some crinkling of the garden hose of fresh content, but that’s for future content consumers to worry about. In the meantime, enjoy this month’s Don’t-Miss Indies!
A Small Light
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: Disney+, Hulu, NatGeo, ABC
Creators: Joan Rater, Tony Phelan
Cast: Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber, Joe Cole, Amira Casar, Billie Boullet, Ashley Brooke
Why We’re Excited: Shot in Prague and Amsterdam in the summer of 2022, this eight-part National Geographic limited series brings us the true story that transpired during the Nazi occupation of both nations in WWII. Austrian-born Dutch woman Miep Gies works for Otto Frank at a spice company.
A Small Light
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: Disney+, Hulu, NatGeo, ABC
Creators: Joan Rater, Tony Phelan
Cast: Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber, Joe Cole, Amira Casar, Billie Boullet, Ashley Brooke
Why We’re Excited: Shot in Prague and Amsterdam in the summer of 2022, this eight-part National Geographic limited series brings us the true story that transpired during the Nazi occupation of both nations in WWII. Austrian-born Dutch woman Miep Gies works for Otto Frank at a spice company.
- 5/2/2023
- by Su Fang Tham
- Film Independent News & More
“I don’t think many people know the story of Miep (Gies),” believes Bel Powley, the British-born actress who portrays her in the eight-part Nat Geo limited series “A Small Light” that has now premiered on the channel and the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. “In terms of our industry, in terms of film and television, I think one of the reasons for it is that pre #MeToo, people weren’t making shows or spending money on projects with stories about women. I’ve been searching for a role like this my entire career. Post #MeToo, there are suddenly all of these kind of incredible female heroes coming out of the woodwork. So it’s a really exciting moment and I can’t wait to share Miep’s story with the world.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
That story is one the public knows well, and yet perhaps...
That story is one the public knows well, and yet perhaps...
- 5/2/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Thanks to The Diary of Anne Frank and the historians who’ve studied it, the world has a good sense of what happened in the Amsterdam annex where Frank and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II.
Less celebrated, however, are the people who risked their lives to facilitate the Franks’ (and friends’) two-year period of hiding. The premiere of A Small Light, which aired Monday on National Geographic, spotlights the everyday work of Dutch resistance workers by telling the story through the eyes of one of them: Miep Gies, Otto Frank’s secretary.
More from TVLineA...
Less celebrated, however, are the people who risked their lives to facilitate the Franks’ (and friends’) two-year period of hiding. The premiere of A Small Light, which aired Monday on National Geographic, spotlights the everyday work of Dutch resistance workers by telling the story through the eyes of one of them: Miep Gies, Otto Frank’s secretary.
More from TVLineA...
- 5/2/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
Bel Powley is an actor without subterfuge, which I mean only as a high compliment. I feel the same way about Florence Pugh. Their characters are still capable of lying, but neither performer can lie to the camera. When they’re miserable, it bursts through the screen. When they’re joyful, it’s contagious.
Powley is an interesting and effective choice, then, to play the lead in A Small Light, an eight-part NatGeo limited series that’s all about hiding and subterfuge. Playing an ostensibly ordinary woman who responds to an extraordinary challenge by finding the hero within, Powley sets the tone, or rather a variety of tones, for A Small Light. She brings more humor and hopeful energy than you might expect based on the topic, and underlines every emotionally crushing twist and turn you’d expect from a series adjacent to one of the most beloved and devastating stories ever told.
Powley is an interesting and effective choice, then, to play the lead in A Small Light, an eight-part NatGeo limited series that’s all about hiding and subterfuge. Playing an ostensibly ordinary woman who responds to an extraordinary challenge by finding the hero within, Powley sets the tone, or rather a variety of tones, for A Small Light. She brings more humor and hopeful energy than you might expect based on the topic, and underlines every emotionally crushing twist and turn you’d expect from a series adjacent to one of the most beloved and devastating stories ever told.
- 5/1/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
On May 1, 2023, National Geographic premieres “A Small Light,” which centers on the real life story of Miep Gies. The limited series stars Bel Powley as the often unsung hero that hides Anne Frank and her family during the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam. The limited series opened to rave reviews, holding fresh at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. The ensemble cast includes Liev Schreiber, Joe Cole, Billie Boullet, Ashley Brooke, and Amira Casar. Read our full review round-up below.
The series pilot and “Welcome to Switzerland” premiere on NatGeo May 1, with two new episodes airing weekly. Each can be streamed the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
See ‘A Small Light’: Nat Geo series heralds heroes who hid Anne Frank and family
Maggie Lovitt of Collider writes, “The series is blatant in its condemnation of people who reap the benefits of prejudice and hatred, blindly focused on their own small joys and creature comforts.
The series pilot and “Welcome to Switzerland” premiere on NatGeo May 1, with two new episodes airing weekly. Each can be streamed the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
See ‘A Small Light’: Nat Geo series heralds heroes who hid Anne Frank and family
Maggie Lovitt of Collider writes, “The series is blatant in its condemnation of people who reap the benefits of prejudice and hatred, blindly focused on their own small joys and creature comforts.
- 5/1/2023
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
National Geographic’s eight-part limited series “A Small Light” premiering May 1 tells the story of Anne Frank through the eyes of Miep Gies, the brave young woman who hid the Franks and four others in secret annex above Otto Frank’’s office in Amsterdam from the Nazis who were rounding up Jewish residents. Miep, who worked for Frank, was one of six people who took care of them. She was tasked with supplying them with meat and vegetables. Wrote Anne Frank: “Miep is just like a pack mule, she fetches and carries so much. Almost every day she manages to get hold of some vegetables for us brings everything in shopping bags on her bicycle.” Miep also brought them books.
The Nazis discovered their hiding place and on Aug. 4, 1944, they were arrested and sent to the death camps. Miep managed to save Anne’s notes and journals from the annex...
The Nazis discovered their hiding place and on Aug. 4, 1944, they were arrested and sent to the death camps. Miep managed to save Anne’s notes and journals from the annex...
- 5/1/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
A Small Light co-showrunner Joan Rater knows that Anne Frank’s story ends in heartbreaking, horrifying fashion. We all do. Frank’s diary, written while the teenage Jewish girl and her family hid from Nazis in World War II-era Amsterdam, comes to an abrupt close when their secret annex is raided. Anne, and most of her family, later died in concentration camps.
“When I read the diary, still to this day — Joan Rater, 60 years old — I get so caught up in Anne’s humanity and in her everyday stuff, her amazing voice and just in her that I find myself going,...
“When I read the diary, still to this day — Joan Rater, 60 years old — I get so caught up in Anne’s humanity and in her everyday stuff, her amazing voice and just in her that I find myself going,...
- 4/30/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
The story of Anne Frank, the Jewish teenager who hid in a cramped attic with her family during the Nazi occupation in Amsterdam, is widely known, and amid the atrocities of the Holocaust, Anne’s diary presents a story of resilience and unrealized dreams. Nat Geo’s new limited series “A Small Light” isn’t Anne’s story, though the precocious teen’s legacy is embedded throughout. The brainchild of former “Grey’s Anatomy” showrunners Tony Phelan and Joan Rater, the series is a tale of resistance, activism and humanity. The narrative centers on one tenacious young woman, Miep Gies, Otto Frank’s secretary, who risked everything to save the Frank family, and countless others.
Beautifully shot by Phelan, Susanna Fogel and Leslie Hope, with a slight sepia tone to ground the audience in the time period, the series opens on July 6, 1942, when the Frank family goes into hiding. Miep (Bel Powley...
Beautifully shot by Phelan, Susanna Fogel and Leslie Hope, with a slight sepia tone to ground the audience in the time period, the series opens on July 6, 1942, when the Frank family goes into hiding. Miep (Bel Powley...
- 4/29/2023
- by Aramide Tinubu
- Variety Film + TV
Apple TV+ premieres Silo this week, which is a book-to-screen adaptation I can highly recommend. The books were incredible, creating a world unlike anything you've ever experienced, and the series brings it to life with stunning detail.
Fatal Attraction comes to Paramount+, and we finally see the appeal of having more time with a beloved IP, as the fleshed-out story opens a lot of storytelling opportunities.
See what else is coming this week and what finales to keep an eye on below.
Saturday, April 29
8/7c Hearts In the Game (Hallmark)
Erin Cahill and Marco Grazzini star in a new Hallmark movie about making a name for yourself, forgiving past mistakes, and moving forward.
In this one, a publicist helps a pitcher for the New York Mets – and her boyfriend from high school – find his way back to the game and her heart.
Check out a preview for the movie below.
Fatal Attraction comes to Paramount+, and we finally see the appeal of having more time with a beloved IP, as the fleshed-out story opens a lot of storytelling opportunities.
See what else is coming this week and what finales to keep an eye on below.
Saturday, April 29
8/7c Hearts In the Game (Hallmark)
Erin Cahill and Marco Grazzini star in a new Hallmark movie about making a name for yourself, forgiving past mistakes, and moving forward.
In this one, a publicist helps a pitcher for the New York Mets – and her boyfriend from high school – find his way back to the game and her heart.
Check out a preview for the movie below.
- 4/29/2023
- by Carissa Pavlica
- TVfanatic
“I’ve been searching for roles like this,” said actress Bel Powley about the character she plays in “A Small Light.” Part of what excited her about the limited series was that generally “people aren’t making shows about women like Miep.” She discussed the project on April 25 at the New York City premiere during a panel moderated by Dan Bucatinsky. Watch the entire panel above.
“A Small Light” tells a familiar story from a different perspective. It’s about Anne Frank‘s family hiding from the Nazis during World War II, but it’s told from the point of view of Miep Gies, Otto Frank‘s secretary who is one of the brave individuals who agrees to harbor the family. Powley actually shies away from period pieces most of the time, but “I immediately felt connected to this character,” noting that Miep was “an incredibly modern woman.”
For Liev Schreiber,...
“A Small Light” tells a familiar story from a different perspective. It’s about Anne Frank‘s family hiding from the Nazis during World War II, but it’s told from the point of view of Miep Gies, Otto Frank‘s secretary who is one of the brave individuals who agrees to harbor the family. Powley actually shies away from period pieces most of the time, but “I immediately felt connected to this character,” noting that Miep was “an incredibly modern woman.”
For Liev Schreiber,...
- 4/27/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
We first see the remarkable Miep Gies (an incandescent Bel Powley) as she’s leading a scared Margot Frank (Ashley Brooke) on bicycle through a Nazi checkpoint. Their destination: the annex where the Frank family and four others will hide for two years from 1942 until their fateful discovery in 1944. Heroism and terror infuse nearly every moment of A Small Light, a first-rate eight-part docudrama airing over four Mondays on the National Geographic Channel. (Episodes will stream the following day on Hulu and Disney+.) Miep is a crucial part of the Anne Frank story, having been a loyal employee for years of Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber in a movingly restrained performance of grave dignity) before he was forced to ask her and her office co-workers to risk their lives to protect and fend for his family and friends during the oppressive Nazi occupation. To her credit, Powley (The Morning Show) brings...
- 4/26/2023
- TV Insider
One of the anticipated series coming to Disney+ in May is “American Born Chinese,” based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel. Premiering on May 24, the series centers on Jin Wang (played by Ben Wang), an American teen whose life is changed when he becomes friends with a new international student, who just happens to be the son of a mythological god. Identity, family, and kung fu combine in this action-packed show. The “Everything Everywhere All At Once” trio of Stephanie Hsu and Oscar winners Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan star.
Watch the trailer for “American Born Chinese”:
Also coming to the Disney streamer next month is “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All.” The four-part docuseries will debut in full on May 3. It reveals what inspires the singer-songwriter personally and professionally, providing a rare insight into what is behind his music. This series follows Sheeran after he...
Watch the trailer for “American Born Chinese”:
Also coming to the Disney streamer next month is “Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All.” The four-part docuseries will debut in full on May 3. It reveals what inspires the singer-songwriter personally and professionally, providing a rare insight into what is behind his music. This series follows Sheeran after he...
- 4/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Most people have learned the story of Anne Frank. In many schools, her story is taught in history classes and her diaries are read as classic works. But in the new series, “A Small Light,” the story of Anne Frank is told through the perspective of the woman who promised to keep her safe.
Read More: ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ Review: Jennifer Garner Can’t Save Apple TV+’s Plodding Thriller
As seen in the trailer for “A Small Light,” the limited series tells the story of Miep Gies, a young woman who takes on the challenge of hiding the Frank family from the Nazis during WWII after Otto Frank asked her to help.
Continue reading ‘A Small Light’ Trailer: Bel Powley, Joe Cole & Liev Schreiber Tell The Story Of Hiding Anne Frank’s Family in WWII at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘The Last Thing He Told Me’ Review: Jennifer Garner Can’t Save Apple TV+’s Plodding Thriller
As seen in the trailer for “A Small Light,” the limited series tells the story of Miep Gies, a young woman who takes on the challenge of hiding the Frank family from the Nazis during WWII after Otto Frank asked her to help.
Continue reading ‘A Small Light’ Trailer: Bel Powley, Joe Cole & Liev Schreiber Tell The Story Of Hiding Anne Frank’s Family in WWII at The Playlist.
- 4/18/2023
- by The Playlist
- The Playlist
"People have lost everything, and still they resist!" National Geographic has revealed an official trailer for a series titled A Small Light, telling the inspiring true story of Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who hid Anne Frank and her family during World War II. It's ready to premiere on the National Geographic Channel and for streaming on Hulu at the beginning of May. Miep is a young Dutch woman who is asked by her employer Otto Frank, in the summer of 1942, to shelter his family from the Nazis. She helps keep the Franks hidden, while Anne Frank writes her diary, which has become the iconic book that everyone already knows. English actress Bel Powley co-stars as Miep with Billie Boullet as Anne Frank, plus Joe Cole as Miep's husband Jan Gies, Liev Schreiber as Anne's father Otto Frank, Amira Casar as Edith Frank, and Ashley Brooke as Margot Frank. This...
- 4/16/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
A Small Light star Bel Powley and creator, writer and executive producer Joan Rater joined Deadline’s Contenders TV event Saturday to discuss the Holocaust-centric series and the importance of highlighting a different aspect of the era onscreen.
Related: Deadline Studio At Contenders Television 2023 – Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Dominique Fishback, Riley Keough, Natasha Lyonne & More
The eight-part Nat Geo series debuts May 1st with two back-to-back episodes, with new episodes streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. A Small Light tells the story of Austrian secretary Miep Gies (Bel Powley), a twentysomething who didn’t hesitate when her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to hide him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan (Joe Cole) and several others help watch over the eight people hiding in a secret annex. Miep found Anne’s (Billie Boullet...
Related: Deadline Studio At Contenders Television 2023 – Steven Yeun, Ali Wong, Dominique Fishback, Riley Keough, Natasha Lyonne & More
The eight-part Nat Geo series debuts May 1st with two back-to-back episodes, with new episodes streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. A Small Light tells the story of Austrian secretary Miep Gies (Bel Powley), a twentysomething who didn’t hesitate when her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to hide him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan (Joe Cole) and several others help watch over the eight people hiding in a secret annex. Miep found Anne’s (Billie Boullet...
- 4/15/2023
- by Destiny Jackson
- Deadline Film + TV
National Geographic today released the first trailer for the forthcoming Holocaust-themed eight-part limited series “A Small Light” starring BAFTA and Indie Spirit nominee Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber and Joe Cole that will have a multinetwork launch on May 1 at 9 p.m. Et/Pt, with a simulcast of the first pair of episodes across Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild and Lifetime and streaming the following day on Disney+ and Hulu. Freeform will encore the premiere episodes on May 6.
See the official trailer below.
“A Small Light” reaches beyond the specific tale of Anne Frank to tell the true story of her protectors Miep Gies (played by Powley in the series) and Miep’s husband Jan (Cole). Miep was initially a young, carefree and party-hearty young woman working as a secretary in Anne’s father Otto Frank’s (played here by Schreiber) company in the Netherlands in 1942 when the heat of Nazi...
See the official trailer below.
“A Small Light” reaches beyond the specific tale of Anne Frank to tell the true story of her protectors Miep Gies (played by Powley in the series) and Miep’s husband Jan (Cole). Miep was initially a young, carefree and party-hearty young woman working as a secretary in Anne’s father Otto Frank’s (played here by Schreiber) company in the Netherlands in 1942 when the heat of Nazi...
- 4/4/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
National Geographic has released the trailer from the upcoming eight-part limited series ‘A Small Light’. The powerful series, produced by ABC Signature and Keshet Studios, will stream on Disney+ in the U.K. on 2 May.
Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII. Without hesitation, Miep agreed. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband, Jan (Joe Cole), with several other everyday heroes, watched over the Frank, van Pels and Pfeffer families hiding in the secret annexe.
Told with a modern sensibility, the series shakes the cobwebs of history and makes Miep’s story feel relevant, forcing audiences to ask themselves what they would have done in Miep’s shoes; and in modern times,...
Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII. Without hesitation, Miep agreed. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband, Jan (Joe Cole), with several other everyday heroes, watched over the Frank, van Pels and Pfeffer families hiding in the secret annexe.
Told with a modern sensibility, the series shakes the cobwebs of history and makes Miep’s story feel relevant, forcing audiences to ask themselves what they would have done in Miep’s shoes; and in modern times,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
National Geographic has released the official trailer for the eight-part limited series A Small Light.
The series will have a multinetwork launch on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c with a simulcast across National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, and Lifetime of the first two episodes.
On Saturday, May 6 at 8/7c, Freeform will encore the premiere episodes.
For the full series run, two episodes will debut every Monday at 9/8c on National Geographic, stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, and will be available on the Nat Geo TV and ABC apps.
"Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII," the official logline reads.
"Without hesitation, Miep agreed. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband,...
The series will have a multinetwork launch on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c with a simulcast across National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, and Lifetime of the first two episodes.
On Saturday, May 6 at 8/7c, Freeform will encore the premiere episodes.
For the full series run, two episodes will debut every Monday at 9/8c on National Geographic, stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, and will be available on the Nat Geo TV and ABC apps.
"Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies (Bel Powley) was young, carefree and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during WWII," the official logline reads.
"Without hesitation, Miep agreed. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
The story of the woman who hid Anne Frank’s family is told in Nat Geo‘s A Small Light. In the trailer for the series, premiering Monday, May 1, Bel Powley‘s Miep Gies is already rebelling against the Nazis when Liev Schreiber‘s Otto Frank asks for safe harbor. Based on an inspiring true story, Miep Gies was young, carefree, and opinionated — at a time when opinions got you killed ― when Otto Frank asked her to help hide his family from the Nazis during Word War II. She agreed without hesitation. For the next two years, she and her daring and devoted husband, Jan (Joe Cole), with several other everyday heroes, watched over the Frank, van Pels, and Pfeffer families hiding in the secret annex. Viewers have seen stories of the three families’ time in the annex told on screen before, but this is the first time they’ll...
- 4/4/2023
- TV Insider
National Geographic has release a trailer for A Small Light, its upcoming scripted series about those who boldly chose to hide Anne Frank’s family and others from the Nazis during World War II.
The eight-episode series will have a multinetwork launch on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c — with a simulcast of the first two episodes across National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild and Lifetime. Freeform will air the same episodes on Saturday, May 6 at 8pm.
More from TVLineA Small Light: NatGeo Limited Series About Anne Frank Ally Sets PremiereLiev Schreiber to Play Anne Frank's Father in Disney+ Series A Small LightTVLine Items: Good Trouble Premiere,...
The eight-episode series will have a multinetwork launch on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c — with a simulcast of the first two episodes across National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild and Lifetime. Freeform will air the same episodes on Saturday, May 6 at 8pm.
More from TVLineA Small Light: NatGeo Limited Series About Anne Frank Ally Sets PremiereLiev Schreiber to Play Anne Frank's Father in Disney+ Series A Small LightTVLine Items: Good Trouble Premiere,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
“A Small Light,” Nat Geo’s upcoming dramatic limited series, tells the story of Miep Gies, best known to history as the Dutch woman who, along with her husband Jan, hid the family of Anne Frank during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands.
The series, which premieres May 1, tells Miep’s story during the darkest days of the war as she and her husband become increasingly desperate under Nazi occupation. But when asked by her employer, Otto Frank, for help hiding his family from the death squads, she agrees unflinchingly. See for yourself in the trailer right now at the top of the page.
For 2 years the Miep and Jan hid the Franks as well as 4 members of the Pfeffer family — until they were betrayed and the Franks and Pfeffers, arrested by the Nazi police, were taken to various concentration camps. The Gies evaded arrest and execution by almost pure luck,...
The series, which premieres May 1, tells Miep’s story during the darkest days of the war as she and her husband become increasingly desperate under Nazi occupation. But when asked by her employer, Otto Frank, for help hiding his family from the death squads, she agrees unflinchingly. See for yourself in the trailer right now at the top of the page.
For 2 years the Miep and Jan hid the Franks as well as 4 members of the Pfeffer family — until they were betrayed and the Franks and Pfeffers, arrested by the Nazi police, were taken to various concentration camps. The Gies evaded arrest and execution by almost pure luck,...
- 4/4/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln
- The Wrap
Anne Frank continues to resonate as perhaps the most famous symbol of Jewish suffering and persecution in the face of the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust during World War II. It was her teenage diary, after all, that remains perhaps the most vivid description of what it was like to live under Nazi occupation – specifically in Amsterdam between 1942 and ’44, while her family was in hiding and she wrote her famed remembrance of being sheltered out of view until a betrayal led to their being discovered.
It was a woman named Miep Gies, however, who provided a first-hand aural witness’s account of those hiding out in what came to be known as the Secret Annex. It’s her tale that’s told in “A Small Light,” a powerful eight-part limited series from NatGeo that premieres with a pair of installments on May 1 and streams the next day on Disney+. It...
It was a woman named Miep Gies, however, who provided a first-hand aural witness’s account of those hiding out in what came to be known as the Secret Annex. It’s her tale that’s told in “A Small Light,” a powerful eight-part limited series from NatGeo that premieres with a pair of installments on May 1 and streams the next day on Disney+. It...
- 3/23/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Sir Ben Kingsley, 79, has one foot planted in Beverly Hills, the other in Oxfordshire, England — nearly 200 miles southeast of his native Lancashire, where he was raised by his British model and actress mom and his father, a Kenyan-born family doctor of Indian descent.
“[Oxfordshire] is more Shakespeare country,” Kingsley said on the phone. “The Cotswold Hills, limestone hills that run through the center of the British Isles across the Channel into France. It looks like Normandy. Our house looks rather French, a petite château. It looks like it should be on a wine label.”
Wine is front and center, per usual, at this year’s Sonoma International Film Festival, where Kingsley is attending the world premiere of “Jules,” from director Marc Turtletaub and writer Gavin Steckler. In this sci-fi heart-tugger with a senior twist, Kingsley delicately portrays elderly Pennsylvania suburbanite Milton. He’s losing control of his memory, so no one...
“[Oxfordshire] is more Shakespeare country,” Kingsley said on the phone. “The Cotswold Hills, limestone hills that run through the center of the British Isles across the Channel into France. It looks like Normandy. Our house looks rather French, a petite château. It looks like it should be on a wine label.”
Wine is front and center, per usual, at this year’s Sonoma International Film Festival, where Kingsley is attending the world premiere of “Jules,” from director Marc Turtletaub and writer Gavin Steckler. In this sci-fi heart-tugger with a senior twist, Kingsley delicately portrays elderly Pennsylvania suburbanite Milton. He’s losing control of his memory, so no one...
- 3/22/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
There have been no shortage of retellings of Anne Frank’s iconic book “The Diary of a Young Girl.” From the time it was first published in 1947 as Het Achterhuis (The Secret Annex) in Dutch in a small edition of 3,036 copies and went on to become one of the most translated books in the world, it’s been adapted to every medium imaginable – from stage to screens big and small, as a musical, as a dance interpretation, even as a 2017 graphic diary. The first play version of “The Diary of Anne Frank” hit Broadway in 1955 and proved a rousing success, running more than 700 performances and earning its playwrights a Pulitzer Prize. A 1959 theatrical film directed by George Stevens earned eight Academy Award nominations and won three: for Shelley Winters as supporting actress as well as its cinematography and art direction/set decoration.
Yet throughout all of the wartime story’s many renderings,...
Yet throughout all of the wartime story’s many renderings,...
- 3/20/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
When Otto Frank asked his employee, Miep Gies, to help hide his family during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam in World War II, she readily agreed. The story of that selfless, dangerous decision is the basis of the upcoming drama A Small Light.
The limited series about Anne Frank, her family and those who helped them will premiere on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c, TVLine can reveal exclusively. The news comes on what would have been Gies’ 114th birthday.
More from TVLineLiev Schreiber to Play Anne Frank's Father in Disney+ Series A Small LightTVLine Items: Good Trouble Premiere, Zeta-Jones' Treasure Role...
The limited series about Anne Frank, her family and those who helped them will premiere on Monday, May 1, at 9/8c, TVLine can reveal exclusively. The news comes on what would have been Gies’ 114th birthday.
More from TVLineLiev Schreiber to Play Anne Frank's Father in Disney+ Series A Small LightTVLine Items: Good Trouble Premiere, Zeta-Jones' Treasure Role...
- 2/15/2023
- by Kimberly Roots
- TVLine.com
A Small Light, National Geographic’s limited series that depicts the Dutch woman who risked her life to shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis, steers clear of pointing any fingers at the person (or people) who betrayed the family.
The project from Grey’s Anatomy alums Joan Rater and Tony Phelan follows Miep Gies (Bel Powley), who agreed to hide her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) and his family during World War I.
“Miep always said we are never going to know [who betrayed them],” Rater told reporters Friday at the Television Critics Tour. “I’ll read one account and think, they did it, and then I’ll read a separate one and think, they did it. We felt it was important that we don’t answer that question. We don’t skirt it … we posit a person who could have. There were many people who could have [betrayed them].”
Production on the limited...
The project from Grey’s Anatomy alums Joan Rater and Tony Phelan follows Miep Gies (Bel Powley), who agreed to hide her boss Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber) and his family during World War I.
“Miep always said we are never going to know [who betrayed them],” Rater told reporters Friday at the Television Critics Tour. “I’ll read one account and think, they did it, and then I’ll read a separate one and think, they did it. We felt it was important that we don’t answer that question. We don’t skirt it … we posit a person who could have. There were many people who could have [betrayed them].”
Production on the limited...
- 1/13/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Whoopi Goldberg says she never meant for her recent interview comments about Jewish identity and the Holocaust — which were criticized by Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt — to appear as if she was “doubling down” on previous “hurtful” comments that resulted in her temporary suspension from her role as moderator on ABC’s The View.
In a statement sent Tuesday to The Hollywood Reporter, Goldberg noted that her recent comments, made while doing press in London, were an attempt to “convey to the reporter what I had said and why and attempted to recount that time.” However, she said, “It was never my intention to appear as if I was doubling down on hurtful comments,” especially after “talking with and hearing people like rabbis and old and new friends weighing in.”
“I’m still learning a lot and believe me, I heard everything everyone said to me.
Whoopi Goldberg says she never meant for her recent interview comments about Jewish identity and the Holocaust — which were criticized by Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt — to appear as if she was “doubling down” on previous “hurtful” comments that resulted in her temporary suspension from her role as moderator on ABC’s The View.
In a statement sent Tuesday to The Hollywood Reporter, Goldberg noted that her recent comments, made while doing press in London, were an attempt to “convey to the reporter what I had said and why and attempted to recount that time.” However, she said, “It was never my intention to appear as if I was doubling down on hurtful comments,” especially after “talking with and hearing people like rabbis and old and new friends weighing in.”
“I’m still learning a lot and believe me, I heard everything everyone said to me.
- 12/27/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A limited series about the Cuban Missile Crisis is in the works from Samuel Franco, Evan Kilgore, and Adam Goodman’s Dichotomy Creative, Variety has learned exclusively.
The series is currently titled “Defcon-2.” It is based on Sheldon M. Stern’s book “The Week the World Stood Still,” which featured transcriptions of secretly recorded meetings of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm), as well as prior interviews with members of the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee. No network or streaming service is currently attached to the project.
Per the official description, “The series focuses on the events not only through the eyes of President Kennedy and his brother, Bobby, but through those that surrounded them, namely Associate Press Secretary and White House speechwriter, Andrew T. Hatcher and Presidential secretary Jill Cowen, whose transcription of the ExComm tapes gave her a front-row seat to a world on the brink of destruction.
The series is currently titled “Defcon-2.” It is based on Sheldon M. Stern’s book “The Week the World Stood Still,” which featured transcriptions of secretly recorded meetings of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm), as well as prior interviews with members of the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee. No network or streaming service is currently attached to the project.
Per the official description, “The series focuses on the events not only through the eyes of President Kennedy and his brother, Bobby, but through those that surrounded them, namely Associate Press Secretary and White House speechwriter, Andrew T. Hatcher and Presidential secretary Jill Cowen, whose transcription of the ExComm tapes gave her a front-row seat to a world on the brink of destruction.
- 12/7/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Amira Casar (The Contractor), Billie Boulet (The Worst Witch) and Ashley Brooke (The Blacklist) are set as series regulars, joining Bel Powley, Liev Schreiber and Joe Cole in Disney+’s A Small Light, a limited series from National Geographic that tells the remarkable story of a Dutch woman who risked her life to shelter Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis for more than two years and then preserved Anne’s diary. The project comes from Grey’s Anatomy alums Joan Rater and Tony Phelan, Susanna Fogel, ABC Signature and Keshet Studios.
The eight-episode limited series centers on 20-something secretary Miep Gies (Powley), who didn’t hesitate when her boss Otto Frank (Schreiber) asked her to hide him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan (Cole) and several other everyday heroes watched over the eight souls hiding in the secret annex.
The eight-episode limited series centers on 20-something secretary Miep Gies (Powley), who didn’t hesitate when her boss Otto Frank (Schreiber) asked her to hide him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. For the next two years, Miep, her husband Jan (Cole) and several other everyday heroes watched over the eight souls hiding in the secret annex.
- 6/10/2022
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
His goal was to become the second-best filmmaker in his house. Well, George Stevens. Jr. accomplished that and much more.
When he was celebrated last week in Washington, D.C. — where Stevens has lived for many years — the joke became: Is there anyone who hasn’t met this man, now 90 and the author of a new autobiography? “I want to be George when I grow up,” three-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Friedman said.
Tom Brokaw, another longtime friend who will interview Stevens at New York City’s 92nd Street Y on Sunday, added, “George has written a wonderful book about his showbiz parents, especially his dad, who was a top-tier director in the ’30s and then took his skills to World War II.”
Also Read:
AFI Fest 2022 Announces Dates and Calls for Entries
The elder Stevens enlisted and spent three years away from his wife and son, filming virtually...
When he was celebrated last week in Washington, D.C. — where Stevens has lived for many years — the joke became: Is there anyone who hasn’t met this man, now 90 and the author of a new autobiography? “I want to be George when I grow up,” three-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Tom Friedman said.
Tom Brokaw, another longtime friend who will interview Stevens at New York City’s 92nd Street Y on Sunday, added, “George has written a wonderful book about his showbiz parents, especially his dad, who was a top-tier director in the ’30s and then took his skills to World War II.”
Also Read:
AFI Fest 2022 Announces Dates and Calls for Entries
The elder Stevens enlisted and spent three years away from his wife and son, filming virtually...
- 5/31/2022
- by Michele Willens
- The Wrap
Disney+ has cast Bel Powley (The Morning Show), Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan), and Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders) in leading roles for its upcoming Anne Frank drama series, A Small Light. The scripted series from National Geographic follows the real-life story of Miep Gies, the Dutch woman who risked her life to protect Anne Frank’s family from the Nazis. Joan Rater and Tony Phelan (Grey’s Anatomy) will serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Susanna Fogel (The Flight Attendant), who will also direct multiple episodes, including the pilot. Powley will play the faithful and funny Miep Gies, an utterly ordinary secretary who keeps her heroic work secret from her friends and family. She does this all while dealing with the everyday pressures of work, daily life in wartime under Nazi occupation, and a new marriage. Schreiber will portray Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father and the boss of Miep, who...
- 4/13/2022
- TV Insider
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