In terms of the art of cinema, it’s not the biggest news. But you can safely expect plenty of headlines on this one. Anna Nicole Smith, the society girl that married an aging billionaire and inherited his fortune, starred in a comedy called “Illegal Aliens” before herself recently dying under mysterious circumstances. The fortune now falls to her infant daughter, and a number of men have come forward to claim paternity. The tabloids have also been pillorying her co-star Chyna Lauer for trying to “cash in” on the publicity when she was interviewed on Larry King.
This slightly sordid affair has backfired on the movie, which has had to deal with a variety of legal issues before it is even finished post-production. But it will be screening out of competition at Cannes. These are generally done for promotional purposes when a film is not chosen in the official selections. It’s one of those sad cases where the people involved in a movie are causing more interest than the movie itself. Shame.
Anna Nicole Smith: addicted to Fame
UPDATE: In 2011, Nicole Smith was the subject of a documentary, “Addicted to Fame”, based on a montage of never-before-seen footage. The film tells the hilarious, scandalous and tragic true story of the making of the actress and singer’s last film “Illegal Aliens”.