Pam and Tommy will show sex tape theft in most empathetic way, says director
Craig Gillespie said his dramatised version of the events aimed to expose how ‘heinous’ the situation was for those involved.
A new Disney series about Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee’s infamous sex tape will portray the story in “the most empathetic way”, its director has said.
Craig Gillespie said his dramatised version of the events, during which the couple’s intimate video was leaked online in 1997, aimed to expose how “heinous” the situation was for those involved.
Pam and Tommy stars Lily Rose as Baywatch star Anderson and Sebastian Stan as her Motley Crue drummer lover.
“We were really trying to portray how heinous the situation was,” Gillespie told the PA news agency.
“As a society how complicit we were and the judgment and the devouring of something that was deeply personal and to be able to look at it through today’s lens was a huge opportunity.
“About how in some ways we have changed and in some ways we haven’t.
“So we wanted to portray them in the most empathetic way and I think the writers did a great job on that”.
The VHS tape was stolen from a safe in the couple’s garage by Rand Gauthier, played by Seth Rogen in the series.
Actress Taylor Schilling, who plays Rogen’s onscreen wife Erica Gauthier, said the series “changes the perspective” on the sensationalised event, which had now become a “universal” experience.
“They were victims of a crime and the collective was complicit by making fun of them and continuing to exploit them,” she said.
“This show, it changes the perspective.
“One thing that is particularly interesting is that now as opposed to the mid-90s almost everyone because of social media can have the experience of feeling exploited or like they’re oversharing or being unfairly judged or misunderstood.
“Who would have thought that that experience that was once reserved for people in the public eye … would become universal.
“Anybody can have that experience. Even if it’s a friend sharing a picture you didn’t consent to, any micro-version of this sort of thing happening.”
Three episodes of Pam And Tommy will premiere in the UK on February 2.
Disney says robust parental controls ensure its streaming platform offers a suitable viewing experience for all.
