WOMAN INSIDE
(Pre-Pre-Production)
Woman Inside is an American Casablanca – a story of two soulmates who lose themselves within the halls of power as their lives become distorted by fame, romance, fear, politics, corruption, and war during some of America’s darkest hours. Upon arriving in Washington as part of the Nixon administration, John and Martha’s previously unshakeable love affair quickly becomes a love triangle when Power, the greatest seducer, becomes John’s mistress. Their perfect marriage is strained and then shattered as the fissures in a fragile America turn to huge cracks during the Vietnam War and as Watergate annihilates the administration. Throughout those dark days, Martha Mitchell was the one woman inside the highest circles of power who screamed the truth so loudly that nothing – not her friends, her husband, the FBI, or even the President of the United States – could silence her. Richard Nixon laments in the David Frost Interviews Martha’s key role in Watergate. If you listen closely, you can still hear the echoes of Martha’s truth today. Based on a screenplay by C.S. Alsop and Diane Ladd. Martin Scorsese, echoed by Emma Koskoff, his producer, has said, “Woman Inside is one of the best scripts I’ve read in ten years.” Noteworthy beyond Martin Scorsese (Executive Producer) and David O. Russell (Producer) is Diane Ladd as Director and Actor. Her numerous directing awards for her film Mrs. Munck position her well for directing Woman Inside. Her three Academy Award nominations, her British Academy Award, and her 57 international acting awards bode well for her portrayal of Martha Mitchell. Many Oscar® nominees and winners are slated for the film with solid commitments from such stars as Laura Dern and Bruce Dern to potential cast members like Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson. Stars who are familiar with Woman Inside have literally said, “Call me and if I’m available, I’ll play any role you want!” Those include Ed Asner, Frances Fisher, Lainie Kazan, Martin Sheen, Johnny Depp, Mark Ruffalo, and Elliot Gould among others. Diane’s ability to attract stellar talent will see to the assembly of a great cast especially in the key roles of John Mitchell, Helen Thomas, Bebe Rebozo, and Richard Nixon.
HOT WATER BISCUITS
While her classmates and friends venture forth in search of their own dreams and achieve success, Lu Ann, a Pollyanna girl, is trapped by her own naiveté in a small Gulf Coast town. Despite usual pleasures, startling tragedies, and the doubts she encounters, Lu Ann is forced by life’s lessons to evolve beyond her Desert-Storm hero brother. And certainly more than her first husband, the gorgeous blow-hard who drinks too much, lies too often, and philanders too openly! And more than the high school green-haired, basketball-playing, beau who returns as a successful preacher and learns some lessons from her! The characters in our story of “good and evil” are a combination of Tennessee Williams and Thornton Wilder, mischievously touching your heart and refusing to let go. A heart-rending drama with the perfect mix of comedy unfolds as a beautiful, deeply moving realization of life. This screenplay is based on the Broadway play, Luanne Hampton Oberlander by Preston Jones as part of the Texas Trilogy in which Diane starred.
STARRING: Laura Dern
SCREENWRITERS: R.D. Ladner, novelist, screenwriter – WGA member and William Jack Sibley, guest playwright in residence at Tennessee Williams’ Playwright Festival in Key West, Florida.
This film has all the major components of such blockbusters as When Harry Met Sally, Fried Green Tomatoes, Hope Floats, Bridget Jones Diary, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Sweet Home Alabama.
RELATIVE TRUTH
Carly Dean, a black woman happily married to Mike, a loving husband, is the mother of two children and is working on her career. She’s got it all! Carly was adopted by a very loving family along with her interracial siblings at birth, but longs to find her birth mother. She feels guilty about the psychic dreams that continue to haunt her and she’s more determined than ever to find her biological parents. She has no luck, until the day a Caucasian country woman and her faith healing son appear at her door, claiming to be her long lost family. Or are they?
William Jack Sibley – Screenwriter
Demian Lichtenstein (Director of3000 Miles from Graceland and The Gift) – Director of Photography
Bellina Logan will star as Carly Dean, the orphan-now-woman seeking her birth mother. Bellina’s credits include the lead role as Juliet in Joseph Papp’s Shakespeare in the Park as well as having been a regular on the TV series ER. Films include Daddy and Them, Boys on the Side, Interview with a Vampire, Inland Empire, and Wild at Heart. She’s recently starred in Sons of Anarchy, an F/X miniseries.
Charlie Robinson is a great actor who starred with Diane Ladd in Driving Miss Daisy and has won numerous awards will portray the important role of Sam Taylor.
Diane Ladd – Co-star as the Caucasian mother.
A very talented musician/singer is slated for the role of Julian Haner, a pivotal role in both the film and publicity plans. This is especially appealing to attract youth and young adult audiences both in the U.S. and around the globe.