Not too long after the premiere of Where is Wendy Williams? a lifetime documentary series about Wendy Williams, it was revealed that she had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia.
Now, the show’s producers are talking about why they decided to continue filming despite the health issues Wendy has been saddled with.
In reaction to criticism regarding the project’s “exploitative” nature, producers Mark Ford, Erica Hanson, and Brie Miranda Bryant clarified how they planned to tell Williams’ story.
“In the end, as filmmakers, we remained true to the reality of our journey”, Ford told The Hollywood Reporter.
“…And when you watch the film, it’s almost like you’re on the journey of discovery with us. And you know what? One of our jobs as filmmakers is to make sure our subject gets to a safe place and stays safe. Beyond that, though, is the reality. Even though it hurts to watch, we must present the truth”.
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“We wanted people to understand the filmmakers’ journey, how upsetting it was for all of us in some situations, and how outrageous the situations were in other ways,” Ford went on. “For example, Wendy would be abandoned, starved, and left all alone in that apartment with the stairs that she could trip over. No one was present all the time. Thus, these are the only queries we had the entire time”.
“But obviously, no one would have rolled a camera if we had known that Wendy had dementia going into it,” he said in closing.
The documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? which was shot between August 2022 and April 2023, depicts a difficult time in the life of the former talk show host after her talk show was canceled.
Her relatives speculate about other cognitive problems in the series, in addition to dealing with alcohol and drug abuse concerns. A representative for Williams’ care team disclosed her diagnosis of dementia and aphasia before the project’s launch.
As far as the filmmakers are aware, Williams hasn’t watched the movie yet. According to reports, the former talk show host is undergoing treatment in an undisclosed facility while being managed by a legal guardian appointed by the court to manage her finances and health.
“We haven’t been able to show it to her in any way. There’s no way to screen it with her because she’s locked up in a facility, and we haven’t had a chance to talk to her since the filming wrapped,” Ford clarified.
“The last time we spoke with Wendy was on the day you saw us filming with her. However, we spoke extensively behind the scenes with Wendy and Will Selby, the manager, about what they would and would not like to have on camera”.
In an attempt to stop Lifetime from airing the two-night documentary event, Sabrina Morrissey, Wendy Williams’ guardian, filed a lawsuit against the company a few days to the premiere but the judge denied the request, citing the First Amendment.
Regarding the case, Ford stated, “Nobody should have the authority to silence Wendy’s voice and her family’s voice. Thankfully, the courts determined that this was the most crucial factor, and the free press prevailed in this case”.
Williams’ family has stated that it is difficult for them to get in touch with her directly and that she is still being looked after by her court-appointed guardian. Although they haven’t seen her and don’t know where she lives, she can still connect with them, and in their most recent chats, she “sounds really great.”
Alex Finnie, Williams’ niece and the documentary’s executive producer, addressed concerns raised earlier about the project “taking advantage” of Williams’ medical condition.
Finnie stated to Good Morning America, “My aunt is the executive producer of this documentary, first and foremost and she said, ‘I want to take ownership of my story, and this is the perfect time.'”
