Besides her Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated work as an actress, Ashley Judd is known for her progressive political activism, which includes furthering the rights of girls and women worldwide and traveling with YouthAIDS, a non-profit dedicated to providing humanitarian assistance and bringing global awareness to the proliferation of HIV/AIDS. Her next on-screen role is a major departure: she’ll play anti-gay activist Anita Bryant. A press release confirmed the news. “Anita” will be presented at the Cannes Market.
A former beauty pageant winner, Bryant went to to score a number of Top 40 hits as a singer. She served as a spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission. “Using her celebrity platform, she led a highly publicized campaign called Save Our Children to repeal legislation that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in Miami,” the project’s synopsis details. “While her campaign incited an organized opposition to gay rights that spread across the nation, her controversial views and incendiary rhetoric ultimately destroyed her career, and inadvertently ignited the gay rights movement.” “Good Behavior” creator Chad Hodge penned the script and is directing.
“As a gay man and a writer who likes to explore complex, messy characters, I’ve always thought about Anita Bryant,” said Hodge. “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? I wanted to find out who Anita was, who the people around her were, and what everybody wanted out of this. Once the truth revealed itself, I realized this was a dark twisted thriller that holds up a mirror, and a warning, to our current society.”
“Anita” hails from Radiant Films International. “How I Met Your Mother” alumnus Neil Patrick Harris will co-star.
“Twin Peaks,” “Berlin Station,” and “A Dog’s Way Home” are among Judd’s recent credits.
