The fall of late financier Jeffrey Epstein is set to be televised in a new show, which will star actress Laura Dern.
However, many critics have slammed the star and the project, saying it does not in any way translate into justice, especially given the controversies surrounding the sex offender to this day.
Report of the new limited series comes after it was revealed that the Bank of America will pay $72.5 million to victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse.
Laura Dern Will Play Investigative Reporter In New Series About Jeffrey Epstein
Academy Award winner Dern is set to play the role of investigative journalist Julie K. Brown in a new limited series documenting the downfall of Jeffrey Epstein.
The series, which is currently in development at Sony Pictures Television, is based on Brown’s non-fiction book, “Perversion of Justice: The Jeffrey Epstein Story,” where she exposed the secret plea deal the disgraced financier had with prosecutors.
According to reports, the series will follow Brown’s relentless investigative reporting for the Miami Herald, which is widely credited with dismantling the 2008 “sweetheart deal” he got, uncovering 80 victims and leading to both the arrests of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
The yet untitled series will see “House of Cards” screenwriter Sharon Hoffman handle the script, serving as co-showrunner and executive producer alongside Eileen Myers. Also, the show will be produced by Adam McKay’s Hyperobject Industries.
Fans Slam The Upcoming Project
The announcement about the Epstein series sparked backlash online as many critics took to social media to share their dissatisfaction with the project, with some saying that a TV show on the convicted pedophile is unnecessary.
“Horrible idea! Let’s not capitalize on victims’ traumas, especially before they get some sort of justice!” an X user wrote, while another penned, “F-ck this. We need actual prosecution for all the pedophiles and child eaters in those files, not some movie to make light of this sh-t.”
Someone else wrote, “Won’t be accurate. I don’t trust Epstein’s friends to make a movie about Epstein.”
Another person said, “Hollywood handling a Jeffrey Epstein movie is like the Nazi party handling a Hitler biography.”
Some Netizens Support The Making Of The Jeffrey Epstein Series Due To Julie K. Brown’s Work
Amid the backlash, some users seemed to support the making of a project related to the notorious sex offender.
Someone said, “The most important part of this story has always been the journalism, not just the crime. Centring it on Julie K. Brown rather than Epstein himself is exactly the right creative decision.”
“Laura Dern leading this sounds promising, heavy subject, but could be a really powerful adaptation,” another person penned.
About The ‘Sweetheart Deal’ Jeffrey Epstein Was Handed
Epstein was initially convicted in 2008 in Florida on state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute, stemming from investigations into abuse of girls as young as 14.
However, he got a “sweetheart deal” from former prosecutor Alex Acosta that resulted in the non-prosecution for his alleged crimes. It was this deal that Brown’s Miami Herald investigation defined as the “deal of a lifetime.”
Under the controversial plea deal, the late financier was able to escape federal charges, serving just 13 months in a county jail with work release, and also registered as a sex offender.
Last year, the prosecutor who handed him the deal, Alex Acosta, defended the agreement in a closed-door meeting with House investigators.
“It’s very clear that Alex Acosta ran a deeply flawed investigation of the Epstein case,” Rep. Robert Garcia told reporters at the time, per CNN. “He also would not admit that Mr. Epstein received a sweetheart deal, which has been widely reported and agreed upon.”
Jeffrey Epstein’s Accomplice Is Currently Serving A 20-Year Jail Term
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested and charged with running a sex trafficking ring that allegedly involved many Hollywood big shots.
At the time, he was held at the New York Metropolitan Correctional Center, but was found dead in his jail cell the following month.
His accomplice, Maxwell, was caught hiding in Bradford, New Hampshire, when law enforcement arrested her in July 2020.
She’s currently serving a 20-year jail term for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking ring, as well as conspiring with him to abuse minors.
According to the Daily Mail, the Bank of America will reportedly pay victims of Epstein’s abuse $72.5 million as part of a new wave of settlements.