Ashley Judd and Neil Patrick Harris have been cast for the title roles in “Anita,” a biopic on Anita Bryant, a former TV pitchwoman who lead her “Save The Children” campaign against Florida’s anti-discrimination ordinances and in the process lit a fire under the gay rights movement which would destroy her marriage and her career.
Chad Hodge, the man behind TNT series ‘Good Behavior’, will write and direct the film which will be produced by Howard Rosenman and Darren Star, Variety reported.
In the film, Harris plays the role of Hodge, who spent significant time with Bryant in her Oklahoma home while researching the history.
“As a gay man and a writer who likes to explore complex, messy characters” said Hodge. “I’ve always thought about Anita Bryant. How could this celebrity who espoused Christian goodness and orange juice through song suddenly use those platforms to go on a nationwide anti-gay crusade and overturn gay rights laws?”
Principal photography will start in September. Tim Duffy will also produce. Michael W. Gray will exec produce.
No mention if a fruit pie will co-star.
I was so-o-o embarrassed to be from Oklahoma during this time. I was also quite disturbed to find out just how bigoted my family was. To them she could do no wrong. I kept pointing out all of her screwups and they just didn’t care. What a witch!
“Lead” is either a present-tense verb or a heavy, soft metal. I’m pretty sure that first sentence should have the past-tense verb “led.”