Universal Pictures Content Group and Passion Pictures have wrapped on a new documentary about the nun who inspired 1995 Oscar-winning hit “Dead Man Walking,” Variety can exclusively confirm.
Titled “Rebel Nun,” the doc follows the story of Catholic nun and leading death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean. Susan Sarandaon won her first and only Oscar playing Prejean in “Dead Man Walking,” which was written and directed by Tim Robbins and co-starred Sean Penn as a convicted murderer.
“Rebel Nun” will explore Sister Helen’s life to date and her ongoing fight against the death penalty.
“Sister Helen Prejean was a humble nun from Louisiana who embarked on a controversial battle that would change the world,” reads the logline. “Now 84 years old, Sister Helen is currently fighting to stop the execution of a Death Row inmate in Oklahoma even lawmakers are convinced is innocent.”
The doc is directed by Dominic Sivyer (“The...
Titled “Rebel Nun,” the doc follows the story of Catholic nun and leading death penalty abolitionist Sister Helen Prejean. Susan Sarandaon won her first and only Oscar playing Prejean in “Dead Man Walking,” which was written and directed by Tim Robbins and co-starred Sean Penn as a convicted murderer.
“Rebel Nun” will explore Sister Helen’s life to date and her ongoing fight against the death penalty.
“Sister Helen Prejean was a humble nun from Louisiana who embarked on a controversial battle that would change the world,” reads the logline. “Now 84 years old, Sister Helen is currently fighting to stop the execution of a Death Row inmate in Oklahoma even lawmakers are convinced is innocent.”
The doc is directed by Dominic Sivyer (“The...
- 3/26/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Elizabeth Taylor’s son will be interviewed on TV for the first time about his mother in the upcoming Kim Kardashian-produced doc about one of Hollywood’s ultimate leading ladies.
Kari Lia, one of the EPs behind Passion Pictures’ Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar [working title] for the BBC, revealed to Deadline that Chris Wilding, Taylor’s son with her second husband Michael Wilding, will speak after many decades.
Former film editor Wilding will feature in the upcoming doc series alongside Todd Fisher, Carrie Fisher’s brother, and Aileen Getty, Taylor’s daughter-in-law who campaigned alongside her to help those with HIV/Aids. The new interviewees will contribute alongside the likes of Kardashian, Joan Collins and Margaret O’Brien, all of whom knew Taylor personally.
Lia said Wilding had been “shy” in the past to discuss his mother’s legacy but, as what would have been her 92nd birthday approaches, he felt...
Kari Lia, one of the EPs behind Passion Pictures’ Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar [working title] for the BBC, revealed to Deadline that Chris Wilding, Taylor’s son with her second husband Michael Wilding, will speak after many decades.
Former film editor Wilding will feature in the upcoming doc series alongside Todd Fisher, Carrie Fisher’s brother, and Aileen Getty, Taylor’s daughter-in-law who campaigned alongside her to help those with HIV/Aids. The new interviewees will contribute alongside the likes of Kardashian, Joan Collins and Margaret O’Brien, all of whom knew Taylor personally.
Lia said Wilding had been “shy” in the past to discuss his mother’s legacy but, as what would have been her 92nd birthday approaches, he felt...
- 2/27/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
A documentary series about Elizabeth Taylor is in the works at the BBC, with Kim Kardashian among the producers.
Elizabeth Taylor is undoubtedly one of the most iconic film stars of her era. By the mid 1960s, she was the highest paid film star in the world.
There have been copious books written and films made about the star too – Taylor has been portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter, Lindsay Lohan, Sherilyn Fenn and Louella Parsons among others; a biopic called A Special Relationship starring Rachel Weisz and written by Simon Beaufoy was announced in 2019, but there has been no news since then.
Now though, the BBC has commissioned a three part documentary, Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar, which will be executive produced by Kim Kardashian, Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson.
The description of the documentary reads as follows:
The series will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique...
Elizabeth Taylor is undoubtedly one of the most iconic film stars of her era. By the mid 1960s, she was the highest paid film star in the world.
There have been copious books written and films made about the star too – Taylor has been portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter, Lindsay Lohan, Sherilyn Fenn and Louella Parsons among others; a biopic called A Special Relationship starring Rachel Weisz and written by Simon Beaufoy was announced in 2019, but there has been no news since then.
Now though, the BBC has commissioned a three part documentary, Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar, which will be executive produced by Kim Kardashian, Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson.
The description of the documentary reads as follows:
The series will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique...
- 1/30/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Kim Kardashian will produce and star in an Elizabeth Taylor Documentary for the BBC. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, a longtime fan of the legendary actor, calls the Oscar-winning superstar “unapologetically herself, a fighter” as Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar dives into the backstory of one of Hollywood’s most famous names.
Kim Kardashian calls Elizabeth Taylor ‘a fighter’
The Skims founder will executive produce Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar alongside Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson. The BBC reports the series promises to feature “privileged access to those who knew her best, including members of Elizabeth Taylor’s family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her stellar career.”
“Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter,” Kim Kardashian said in a statement. “She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life. And she paved the way for all of us who came after her with that blueprint.
Kim Kardashian calls Elizabeth Taylor ‘a fighter’
The Skims founder will executive produce Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar alongside Kari Lia and Hamish Fergusson. The BBC reports the series promises to feature “privileged access to those who knew her best, including members of Elizabeth Taylor’s family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her stellar career.”
“Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter,” Kim Kardashian said in a statement. “She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and have different chapters in your life. And she paved the way for all of us who came after her with that blueprint.
- 1/29/2024
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Kim Kardashian is set to both executive produce and feature in an upcoming docuseries about Elizabeth Taylor.
Commissioned by the BBC, the three-part documentary — given the working title “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar” — is coming from the Oscar-winning “Searching for Sugar Man” production house Passion Pictures, behind the recent Sundance hit “Super/Man” about Christopher Reeve.
The series will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique as an actor — one who mesmerized cinema-goers, but also changed the relationship between audiences and stars — showing how she reinvented the nature of fame, even as she smashed the glass ceiling in Hollywood, before going on to become a billion-dollar businesswoman, activist and advocate. Fremantle will be shopping the doc series globally.
“Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter,” said Kardashian, who conducted the last interview with her before she died. “She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and...
Commissioned by the BBC, the three-part documentary — given the working title “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar” — is coming from the Oscar-winning “Searching for Sugar Man” production house Passion Pictures, behind the recent Sundance hit “Super/Man” about Christopher Reeve.
The series will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique as an actor — one who mesmerized cinema-goers, but also changed the relationship between audiences and stars — showing how she reinvented the nature of fame, even as she smashed the glass ceiling in Hollywood, before going on to become a billion-dollar businesswoman, activist and advocate. Fremantle will be shopping the doc series globally.
“Elizabeth Taylor was unapologetically herself, a fighter,” said Kardashian, who conducted the last interview with her before she died. “She is proof that you can keep evolving and changing and...
- 1/29/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
BBC Arts has commissioned Academy Award-winning production firm Passion Pictures (Searching for Sugar Man, Wham!) to make a three-part documentary series on Elizabeth Taylor, executive produced by and featuring Kim Kardashian.
The BBC unveiled the project with the working title Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar on Monday, noting that Taylor is “one of Hollywood’s most famous names.”
Executive produced by Kari Lia, Hamish Fergusson and Kardashian, the series promises to feature “privileged access to those who knew her best, including members of Elizabeth Taylor’s family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her stellar career.” And it vows to shine the spotlight on “a superstar who transformed not just Hollywood but fame itself, as she went from child star to highest-paid actress in the world.”
A show description also highlights: “For too long the story of Elizabeth Taylor has been told as a soap opera. The eight marriages, the diamonds, the addictions.
The BBC unveiled the project with the working title Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar on Monday, noting that Taylor is “one of Hollywood’s most famous names.”
Executive produced by Kari Lia, Hamish Fergusson and Kardashian, the series promises to feature “privileged access to those who knew her best, including members of Elizabeth Taylor’s family, friends, and colleagues from throughout her stellar career.” And it vows to shine the spotlight on “a superstar who transformed not just Hollywood but fame itself, as she went from child star to highest-paid actress in the world.”
A show description also highlights: “For too long the story of Elizabeth Taylor has been told as a soap opera. The eight marriages, the diamonds, the addictions.
- 1/29/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kim Kardashian is producing and featuring in a documentary series about Elizabeth Taylor for the BBC.
Hot off the heels of its Superman Christopher Reeves doc being eyed by Warner Bros. Discovery at Sundance, Searching for Sugar Man producer Passion Pictures is behind Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar [working title], which is being shopped globally by Fremantle.
Kardashian is one of a range of high profile stars including Joan Collins and Margaret O’Brien who knew Taylor personally and will appear in the three-part box set series for BBC Two and iPlayer, while she is also an EP.
The series will reveal how one of Hollywood’s most well known stars created the blueprint for modern celebrity. It will will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique as an actor – one who mesmerized cinemagoers, but also changed the relationship between audiences and stars – while going on to spotlight her work becoming a billion-dollar businesswoman,...
Hot off the heels of its Superman Christopher Reeves doc being eyed by Warner Bros. Discovery at Sundance, Searching for Sugar Man producer Passion Pictures is behind Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar [working title], which is being shopped globally by Fremantle.
Kardashian is one of a range of high profile stars including Joan Collins and Margaret O’Brien who knew Taylor personally and will appear in the three-part box set series for BBC Two and iPlayer, while she is also an EP.
The series will reveal how one of Hollywood’s most well known stars created the blueprint for modern celebrity. It will will take a deep dive into Taylor’s craft and technique as an actor – one who mesmerized cinemagoers, but also changed the relationship between audiences and stars – while going on to spotlight her work becoming a billion-dollar businesswoman,...
- 1/29/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix’s critically acclaimed tennis series Break Point returns for part two of season one on June 21, 2023. Part two, which just released an official trailer, will feature players Nick Kyrgios, Taylor Fritz, Ons Jabeur, and Ajla Tomljanovic. Iga Swiatek, Frances Tiafoe, and Aryna Sabalenka are also spotlighted in the five new episodes of season one.
Andy Roddick, Patrick Mouratoglou, Maria Sharapova, Carlos Alcaraz, and Chris Evert are among those interviewed in the upcoming episodes. Kari Lia guides the series as showrunner, and Paul Martin and James Gay-Rees serve as executive producers.
A scene from ‘Break Point’ part 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)
The Plot: From the team behind F1: Drive to Survive, Break Point follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in gruelling Grand Slams and tournaments all over the world. Their dream: lifting a trophy and becoming number one. As some...
Andy Roddick, Patrick Mouratoglou, Maria Sharapova, Carlos Alcaraz, and Chris Evert are among those interviewed in the upcoming episodes. Kari Lia guides the series as showrunner, and Paul Martin and James Gay-Rees serve as executive producers.
A scene from ‘Break Point’ part 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)
The Plot: From the team behind F1: Drive to Survive, Break Point follows a select group of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in gruelling Grand Slams and tournaments all over the world. Their dream: lifting a trophy and becoming number one. As some...
- 6/12/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
Exclusive: BBC Africa and Nat Geo (Latin America) are among a number of international broadcasters to board the Fremantle-distributed water crisis film Day Zero, which narrator Chiwetel Ejiofor says brings urgency to an environmental issue that is not fully understood.
The Keo Films and OoS Pictures-produced documentary, which captures stories about communities hit by water shortages, has also found a home at Rai in Italy and Japan’s Nhk. Tech giant Tencent will carry Day Zero in China after it was created by the company’s chief exploration officer David Wallerstein.
Keo and OoS gathered footage for the film over a period of three years, visiting locations including Cape Town, South Africa, a city that nearly ran out of water in 2018. International Emmy director Kevin Sim was then brought on board to shape the narrative.
Ejiofor saw a cut of the film, and it helped convince him to sign up for the project.
The Keo Films and OoS Pictures-produced documentary, which captures stories about communities hit by water shortages, has also found a home at Rai in Italy and Japan’s Nhk. Tech giant Tencent will carry Day Zero in China after it was created by the company’s chief exploration officer David Wallerstein.
Keo and OoS gathered footage for the film over a period of three years, visiting locations including Cape Town, South Africa, a city that nearly ran out of water in 2018. International Emmy director Kevin Sim was then brought on board to shape the narrative.
Ejiofor saw a cut of the film, and it helped convince him to sign up for the project.
- 4/13/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Oscar-nominated 12 Years a Slave actor Chiwetel Ejiofor is to narrate a film about the world’s water shortage crisis, which is funded by an executive from Chinese tech giant Tencent and co-directed by Emmy-winner Kevin Sim.
Housed at Keo Films and OoS Pictures, Day Zero is the brainchild of Tencent’s chief exploration officer David Wallerstein, who personally financed the production after becoming fascinated by the status of Earth’s water supplies.
Tencent will carry the film in China, while Fremantle has been brought on board to distribute internationally. The company has been shopping Day Zero to buyers during Mipcom.
Wallerstein, who is one of Tencent’s earliest executives, became obsessed with researching the water-crisis challenge and wanted to unbury dry scientific information from white papers in an accessible way.
“It started dawning on me that you could make a documentary movie that is scientifically important but also...
Housed at Keo Films and OoS Pictures, Day Zero is the brainchild of Tencent’s chief exploration officer David Wallerstein, who personally financed the production after becoming fascinated by the status of Earth’s water supplies.
Tencent will carry the film in China, while Fremantle has been brought on board to distribute internationally. The company has been shopping Day Zero to buyers during Mipcom.
Wallerstein, who is one of Tencent’s earliest executives, became obsessed with researching the water-crisis challenge and wanted to unbury dry scientific information from white papers in an accessible way.
“It started dawning on me that you could make a documentary movie that is scientifically important but also...
- 10/14/2020
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
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