Yahoo News Barbara Walters to Be Subject of Doc Set at Hulu From ABC News Studios, Imagine Documentaries (EXCLUSIVE)
ABC News Studios is teaming up with Imagine Documentaries to tell the story of Barbara Walters, the legendary broadcast journalist, anchor and host who died in 2022. Emmy winner Jackie Jesko is set to direct the film, which will debut on Hulu in 2025.
The untitled doc will chronicle Walters’ entire groundbreaking career, which started at NBC’s WNBT in the 1950s and led to “Today,” where she was the show’s first female co-host. Walters then made history by joining the “ABC Evening News” as the first female network news anchor, and at the time the highest-paid of anyone in history. Walters then became known for “Barbara Walters Specials,” in which she landed some of the biggest gets in all of interview jounalism; she also co-anchored “20/20” and then created “The View” — which she anchored until retiring.
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“The documentary will examine Walters’ pivotal role in the history of broadcast journalism and her trailblazing example for women in the industry,” the logline said. “By speaking to a broad audience, the film will explore themes of sexism, power and the price of ‘having it all.'”
The film is expected to dig into the ABC archives for unaired footage of Walters’ work, as well as interviews with people who knew and worked with her.
“Barbara left her indelible stamp not just on those of us who had the honor of working with her at ABC News, but on the entire news industry,” said David Sloan, senior executive producer, ABC News. “With never-before-seen footage and interviews with those who knew her in her private and public lives, this film will shed new light on one of the most famous broadcasters of all time.”
Imagine Documentaries will produce the film for ABC News Studios, along with Latchkey Films. For Imagine, the film will be produced by Marcella Steingart, Sara Bernstein, Justin Wilkes and Meredith Kaulfers. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Betsy West will serve as as executive producers. For ABC News Studios, Muriel Pearson is executive producer, and Sloan is senior executive producer. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
“Barbara Walters is the OG trailblazer of broadcast journalism,” said Imagine Documentaries president Sara Bernstein. “Imagine Documentaries is thrilled and honored to be working with award-winning filmmaker Jackie Jesko, Oscar nominee Betsy West and the entire team at ABC News Studios on this project to share her inspirational life and career with a new generation.”
Jesko, who co-founded Latchkey Films in 2020, is a former ABC News producer who later worked at A+E, Nat Geo and Vice. She won a News & Documentary Emmy in 2021 for Hulu’s “Disgrace,” as well as Dupont-Columbia and Edward R. Murrow awards for Showtime’s “India Burning.” Other credits include Showtime’s “The Battle for Idlib,” HBO’s “After the Fall” and ABC News’ “Femicide: The Untold War.” She was behind last fall’s documentary series “Savior Complex.”
Recent ABC News Studios productions include “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” “Sound of the Police,” “The Lady Bird Diaries,” “Aftershock” and Andrew McCarthy’s “Brats.” Among recent Imagine Documentaries are Apple TV+’s “The Super Models,” Prime Video’s “Judy Blume Forever,” Disney+’s “We Feed People” and currently, Disney+’s “Jim Henson Idea Man,” directed by Ron Howard.
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