A launch date has been confirmed for the HBO Max Authentic The Final Film Stars, a docuseries in six components from actor, author, and director Ethan Hawke which celebrates one among Hollywood’s most iconic and enduring romances.
From Nook Home Productions, Underneath the Affect Productions, CNN Movies, and HBO Max, The Final Film Stars revolves across the fascinating lives and love story of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The docuseries is directed by four-time Academy Award nominee Hawke, who had beforehand directed the acclaimed 2014 documentary about pianist Seymour Bernstein referred to as Seymour: An Introduction. Academy Award-winning Filmmaker Martin Scorsese serves as govt producer. The Final Film Stars first premiered on the South by Southwest movie pageant in March earlier than shifting on to be screened at Cannes Movie Pageant’s Cannes Classics part in Might.
An extended-abandoned mission that Newman commissioned from buddy and twice Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Stewart Stern has a central position within the docuseries. Stern, at Newman’s request, performed interviews with household, associates, and collaborators Elia Kazan, Sidney Lumet, Karl Malden, Sidney Pollack, Gore Vidal, Jacqueline Witte, and Woodward amongst many others for a deliberate memoir. Newman himself was additionally interviewed by Stern. On this interview, they mentioned his youthful years, his first marriage, his romance with Woodward, his private demons, and the devastating lack of his son Scott Newman from a drug overdose.
Along with these interviews, Hawke additionally received actors like Karen Allen, George Clooney, Oscar Isaac, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Zoe Kazan, Laura Linney, and Sam Rockwell, to lend their voices to segments of the unique interview transcripts. Hawke additionally interviewed a few of Newman’s daughters to get one other inside perspective on the couple and their non-public lives, and he additionally interviewed Sally Subject and Scorsese for his or her views on Woodward’s and Newman’s careers and what made them so inspiring.
Hawke made a press release saying:
“It’s an honor to get to share Joanne and Paul’s inspiring life and love story with audiences this summer time. I’m particularly thrilled {that a} mission we’ve poured a lot coronary heart and soul into now has its residence at HBO Max, a platform recognized for celebrating and championing the documentary artform.”
Woodward and Newman met one another within the early Fifties throughout a Broadway manufacturing of the romantic drama Picnic. A few of their collective and particular person credit embody The Lengthy, Scorching Summer time, The Hustler, The Three Faces of Eve, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child, and Rachel, Rachel. As a pair, they managed to focus their fame on their artwork, racing, social justice, and human rights and managed to stability their busy careers with a satisfying marriage that lasted from 1958 until Newman’s demise in 2008.
Together with Scorsese, Amy Entelis and Courtney Sexton additionally served as govt producers. The docuseries was produced by Emily Wachtel and Lisa Lengthy Adler of Nook Home Productions, Ryan Hawke of Underneath the Affect Productions, and Adam Gibbs. The unique rating was composed by Hamilton Leithauser.
The six components of The Final Film Stars will debut on HBO Max on Thursday, July 21.
