Unless you’ve been living under a rock these last few years, you know that, yes, Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election that left us stuck withDonald Trump, who is currently being threatened with impeachment as a result of his misconduct while in office. But how do we know this? Did that information just fall out of the sky? No. Someone had to expose that secret, and now that person will be the subject of a new movie from Big Beach, the production company behind this year’s awards hopefulsThe FarewellandA Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.
Susanna Fogel,who was one of four women who wrote this year’s teen comedyBooksmart, has been set to directWinner, a biopic aboutReality Leigh Winner, a former American intelligence specialist who was the first to expose Russia’s interference. Winner was arrested in 2017 and is currently serving a five-and-a-half year prison sentence, but what she did was an act of courage that helps explain how America got to where it is today, politically speaking.
Kerry Howleywrote the script, having previously penned the 2017New York Magazine article“Who is Reality Winner?”Dani MeliaandPeter Saraf(Little Miss Sunshine) of Big Beach will produce alongsideAmanda Phillips, who brought the project in.
“We are honored to be bringing Reality Winner’s story to screen from a beautiful screenplay by Kerry Howley,” said Melia. “We have been longtime fans of Susanna Fogel and can think of no one better to capture this complex character through an empathetic and human lens. This is an urgent story that far too few Americans are aware of, and we have assembled the perfect creative team to tell it.”
“Reality Winner is a mouthpiece for a generation of young people who are struggling to square their personal ethics with the crumbling ethics of our country’s institutions, which we want to be proud of and have allegiance to,” added Fogel. “Kerry’s incredible script lays the groundwork for us to approach her timely story with humor and emotion, rather than preaching or partisanship.”
Fogel previously directed the 2014 indie movieLife PartnersstarringGillian Jacobs,Leighton Meester,Kate McKinnonandAdam Brody. She also directed the pilots for the upcoming limited seriesThe Flight AttendantandThe Wilds. Fogel is represented by UTA and Lighthouse Management, while Howley is repped by CAA and Anonymous Content.Varietybroke the news.
And speaking of presidential elections, there’s another one coming up in November, so be sure to get out and vote! The last President to be impeached wasBill Clinton, who will be played byClive Owenin the next season ofAmerican Crime Story. FX bossJohn Landgrafhas said that the show won’t affect the 2020 election, but if you’re curious about the context of that statement,click here.
