By Noah Stahl
Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman have wrapped principal photography on their latest narrative feature, LOVELACE. With Amanda Seyfried and Peter Sarsgaard leading an outstanding ensemble, LOVELACE tells the story of 70s icon Linda Lovelace on her journey from small town innocent, to porn superstar, to Women’s Rights activist. Production was underway from December until February in Los Angeles.
Epstein and Friedman were drawn to telling Linda’s story – one of celebrity and excess, passion and pain, conviction and redemption – because it is both an essential story of the era and one that transcends, bearing relevance for our times.
“Linda was the product of the 70s and a challenging domestic environment. Her mother, Dorothy, tried to protect her from the same mistakes she’d made growing up,” said Epstein. “She pushed Linda a bit too hard.”
Friedman added, “After that she happened to fall into the arms of Chuck Traynor, an incredibly charismatic and manipulative guy. He coerced her into this disorienting life of exploitation.”
Epstein and Friedman both voiced the importance of representing Linda’s complex and changing psychological condition. “Fame – well validation, really – and Chuck’s back-and-forth between abuse and affection had a compounding effect on Linda,” commented Friedman.
Despite the challenging subject matter, production wrapped successfully February 3rd. Epstein remarked, “Everyone contributed so much of themselves to the film and it shows. Our DP, Eric Edwards, and his team; Bill Arnold, our wonderful production designer; Karyn Wagner, the costume designer…so many talented and hard-working people came together to tell Linda’s story.”
That's a Wrap on Lovelace!
