Hillary Clinton Is Starting A Production Company With Daughter Chelsea
Hillary is going Hollywood! According to Bloomberg, the former U.S. Secretary of State is planning to form a production company with daughter Chelsea. Though the plans are still in the early stages, sources say that the goal is to help foster more stories for women, by women.
Clinton would be following in the footsteps of former President Barack Obama, who founded production company Higher Ground with wife Michelle. They also have a multiyear agreement with streaming behemoth Netflix and currently have seven projects in development — three movies and four television shows.
President Donald Trump is also no stranger to the entertainment industry and found widespread fame with his popular reality show The Apprentice, which aired from 2004 to 2017.
Many are not surprised that Hillary is moving into an industry that has historically been kind to Democratic politicians.
“Hillary is still very popular out here and there’s been conversations with several studios and streamers about working on projects together,” a top entertainment executive told Deadline.
In fact, the South China Morning Post calculated that Clinton received nine out of every 10 dollars donated by Hollywood in the 2016 presidential election — a total that amounted to over $5 million. Her donors included a roster of famous music and movie stars, such as Usher, Tom Hanks, Barbra Streisand, and even frequent MAGA hat wearer Kanye West.
Hillary has already dabbled in the entertainment industry and had cameos in Madame Secretary and the now-canceled Murphy Brown revival. She is also helping executive produce a television show with Steven Spielberg called The Woman’s Hour. The series is an adaptation of a book that details the stories of the activists who helped women get the right to vote.
“At the heart of democracy lies the ballot box, and Elaine Weiss’ unforgettable book tells the story of the female leaders who… fought for and won American women’s right to vote,” Clinton said of the project, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Clinton is reportedly expected to help find a writer and director as well as be involved with the script and casting.
However, some have wondered if the move is wise, as many believed Hillary’s close ties to Hollywood hurt her public image in the last election.
“Many of those celebrities who worked for Hillary Clinton are wondering if their contribution didn’t help — or worse, hurt… No one has missed the fact that virtually no major stars worked on the Trump campaign. It raises the takeaway question for celebrities: What is the nature of their influence and their connection to fans?” commented The Wrap founder and editor Sharon Waxman, per USA Today.
