HBO has decided to go forth with a documentary that takes a critical look at the development of Scientology — and hired about 160 lawyers to prepare for what company executives believe will be the inevitable lawsuit.
“We have probably 160 lawyers” giving the film a look-over, said Sheila Nevins, HBO’s documentary film president, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
The “Going Clear” documentary will be based on Lawrence Wright’s book, “Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief.”
Many of Scientology’s members include Hollywood’s biggest names, from John Travolta to Tom Cruise.
The church took umbrage with some of Mr. Wright’s findings and said the purported cases of abuse in the book were outright fabrications.
“The stories of alleged physical abuse are lies concocted by a small group of self-corroborating confessed liars,” Scientology spokeswoman Karin Pouw told CNN back in 2013 when the book was released. “The hard evidence clearly shows that no such conduct ever occurred and that in fact there is evidence that shows it did not occur.”
Mr. Wright’s book did come under attack from Scientologists shortly after its release — so much so that the work’s U.K. publisher, Transworld, dropped it from its lineup, The Hollywood Reporter said.
The book later went on to win a National Book Award finalist nod in the United States.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.