Latest news with #TheHeidiFleissStory
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Ex-Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss refuses to watch Aubrey Plaza play her in upcoming biopic: ‘No one can do what I did'
Famous former madam Heidi Fleiss doesn't want to relive her life on the big screen. Fleiss, who was arrested in the 1990s for running an upscale prostitution ring, reacted to the news that Aubrey Plaza is playing her in the upcoming biopic 'The Heidi Fleiss Story.' Speaking to TMZ on Wednesday, Fleiss stated that while she believes Plaza, 41, is 'a great choice to play her,' she won't watch the film because 'the past is dead' to her. 8 Heidi Fleiss in a portrait in 1996. Getty Images 8 Aubrey Plaza at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May 2025. Andia/Universal Images Group via Getty Images 'No one can do what I did,' she told the outlet. Fleiss, who said she watched Plaza in 'The White Lotus' Season 2, added that she wants the team behind the biopic to succeed, but she thinks they have 'their work cut out for them.' 8 Heidi Fleiss in Santa Monica. Sygma via Getty Images 8 Heidi Fleiss during her trial in August 1993. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images She also told TMZ that she's not involved in the project. The Post has reached out to Fleiss for comment. Variety reported that Plaza will star in 'The Heidi Fleiss Story' and produce it through her company Evil Hag. It is Plaza's first major project since her husband Jeff Baena died by suicide at age 47 in January. 8 Aubrey Plaza attends the 2024 Gotham Awards in New York. WireImage Leah Rachel, who created the Netflix horror series 'Chambers,' will make her directorial debut with the biopic. Rachel is also co-writing the film with Rachel Sennott and Travis Jackson. The film, which begins production later this year in Los Angeles, 'follows Fleiss before trial, scrambling around Los Angeles trying to blackmail and leverage various connections to get the case dropped, with the help of an aspiring young writer named Jaclyn,' per Variety. 8 Heidi Fleiss at Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Fleiss was arrested in 1993 for pandering and tax evasion after she was busted for running a prostitution ring in LA, which led to her being dubbed the 'Hollywood Madam.' Her clients were some of the richest and most powerful men in the world, including Charlie Sheen. She spent 20 months in prison of a seven-year sentence. 8 Heidi Fleiss visits SiriusXM in New York City in 2011. Getty Images 8 Heidi Fleiss in a selfie. officialheidifleiss/Instagram Fleiss' notoriety was such that she became the subject of 'Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss,' a 2004 TV movie starring 'The Sopranos' star Jamie-Lynn Sigler. In December, Fleiss told People that she now lives on a ranch in Pahrump, Nevada, and she is dedicated to rescuing caged birds from captivity. 'I lived a life of adventure and excitement, but out of my whole life, the most beautiful thing I ever experienced was watching these birds not only go from solitary confinement but then adjust to freedom,' she shared. 'Maybe even find a mate and raise a family.'
News18
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Aubrey Plaza to headline film on American criminal Heidi Fleiss
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Los Angeles, Aug 7 (PTI) 'Parks and Recreation" and 'The White Lotus" star Aubrey Plaza is set to star as notorious criminal Heidi Fleiss in an upcoming biographical drama film. According to entertainment news outlet Deadline, the film is titled 'The Heidi Fleiss Story" and will mark the directorial debut of Leah Rachel, best known for creating the Netflix series 'Chambers". Plaza will play Fleiss, who made headlines in the early '90s after being exposed as the operator of what was described as the world's largest high-end prostitution ring, allegedly involving Hollywood elites, politicians, and other powerful figures. The film has a script by actor Rachel Sennott, who co-wrote it with Rachel and Travis Jackson. It follows Fleiss before trial, scrambling around Los Angeles trying to blackmail and leverage various connections to get the case dropped, with the help of an aspiring young writer named Jaclyn. The biopic will be co-produced by the independent production company Pinky Promise, which earlier produced Gia Coppola's 'The Last Showgirl" and Andrea Arnold's 'Bird". Plaza will also produce the movie through her company Evil Hag. Plaza will next feature in filmmaker Ethan Coen's 'Honey Don't" alongside Chris Evans and Margaret Qualley. She will also be seen in Legendary and Warner Bros' 'Animal Friends" and 'The Accompanist" with Susan Sarandon. PTI COR RB RB RB view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Aubrey Plaza to star as Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss in new biopic
Aubrey Plaza is set to return to the spotlight with a characteristically offbeat new role portraying Heidi Fleiss, the infamous Hollywood madam. Titled 'The Heidi Fleiss Story,' the dark comedy biopic will follow the chaotic final days leading up to Fleiss's 1993 arrest, when authorities exposed her high-end prostitution ring operating in Los Angeles, according to Deadline and other industry publications. Plaza, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Marin County, will star and produce the film through her company, Evil Hag. The project marks her first major role since the death of her husband, filmmaker Jeff Baena, in January. Fleiss rose to prominence in the early 1990s for allegedly running a clandestine operation that catered to celebrities, executives and other powerful figures. She was said to have taken over the business from her mentor, convicted madam Elizabeth 'Madam Alex' Adams, and quickly expanded it into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. That empire collapsed in June 1993, when Fleiss was arrested and later charged with pandering, tax evasion and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged she laundered more than $1.5 million through shell companies and false records. The case drew national headlines, fueled by speculation over a still-sealed list of high-profile clients. Plaza has been gradually returning to public life following Baena's death by suicide. In February, she appeared on 'SNL50: The Anniversary Special,' wearing a pink tie-dyed T-shirt — a quiet tribute to Baena's pandemic-era hobby and the couple's wedding-day attire. The pair had been together for more than a decade, though they had separated in the months before his death. Plaza's upcoming slate also includes a leading role in 'Honey Don't!,' the latest film from Ethan Coen, arriving in theaters on Aug. 22. She also appears in Francis Ford Coppola 's 'Megalopolis' and previously earned praise for her performances in 'The White Lotus' Season 2 and in the Sundance Film Festival favorite ' My Old Ass. ' Next, she'll star alongside Susan Sarandon in 'The Accompanist,' an indie drama that marks the feature directorial debut of 'The Office' alum Zach Woods.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Aubrey Plaza to play Heidi Fleiss in biopic directed by Leah Rachel from Pinky Promise
Aubrey Plaza is set to both star in and produce The Heidi Fleiss Story, an upcoming biopic about the notorious 'Hollywood madam' who made headlines in the 1990s. The film, which marks the feature directorial debut of Leah Rachel, will chronicle Fleiss's rise and fall as the operator of what was reported to be the world's largest high-end prostitution ring—implicating celebrities, politicians, and other powerful figures. Plaza will portray Fleiss during the turbulent period leading up to her trial, as she attempts to manipulate her Hollywood connections in an effort to have the case against her dropped. According to the official logline, the story follows Fleiss navigating Los Angeles with the help of Jaclyn, a young aspiring writer, as she tries to leverage secrets and threats to evade justice. The script is co-written by Rachel, Rachel Sennott (Bottoms), and Travis Jackson. Sennott, known for her rising status as a Gen Z screen star, adds comedic and dramatic edge to the film's take on the infamous media frenzy that surrounded Fleiss's case. The project is being produced by Jessamine Burgum and Kara Durrett under their production company Pinky Promise, with Plaza producing via her banner Evil Hag. Production is scheduled to begin later this year in Los Angeles. Plaza, best known for roles in Parks and Recreation and The White Lotus, recently appeared in Ethan Coen's Honey Don't, Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, and the Sundance breakout My Old Ass. She'll next appear in The Accompanist, directed by Zack Woods and co-starring Susan Sarandon. She is represented by CAA and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Pinky Promise continues to establish itself as a force in indie cinema with titles like The Starling Girl and Honk for Jesus, Save Your Soul, and upcoming projects such as Scarlett Johansson's Eleanor the Great.
