A new limited series by Sony Pictures Television will focus on the scandal that caused actress Vanessa Williams to lose her Miss America title.
According to Deadline , the studio bought the rights to Willaims’ story and will develop a limited series about how Williams’ was forced to give up her crown after naked pictures of her appeared in Penthouse magazine. The series will be produced by Neil Meron.
Williams was the first Black woman crowned as Miss America in 1983. After nude pictures of her were published without her consent in Penthouse , she was forced to resign . Despite the scandal, Williams went on to become a successful singer and actress. Her single “Save the Best for Last” was nominated for the 1993 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
Williams has also starred in multiple films such as Soul Food , Dance With Me and Eraser. She was also nominated for an Emmy Award three times for her work on the television series Ugly Betty and earned a Tony nomination, three SAG Award nominations, seven NAACP Image Awards and 11 Grammy nominations.
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The award-winning actress said that the project was personal for her and she hoped to correct any inaccurate and untrue accounts of the scandal.
“This project is incredibly personal to me. There are so many inaccurate and untrue accounts of the events surrounding this period in my life, and as a mother, and as a Black woman, it is important to me that my truth be told and be documented from my perspective,” Williams said.
Williams added that her story wasn’t just about nude photos, it was about misogyny and racism, and she was able to rise above it to have a successful career.
“This is not just a story about racy photos, it is about misogyny and racism, and I want to shine a light on that for future generations. I was not only able to survive what could have been a career-ending scandal but rose above it and have achieved a body of work I am extremely proud of. I look forward to continuing my long relationships with Sony, Neil Meron and Mark Nicholson, and working closely with my partners Kathy Ireland, Stephen Roseberry, Jon Carrasco and Steve Glick to bring this story to the screen.”
Written by Niko Mann | Shared from Black Enterprise @blackenterprise
