HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Hollywood’s troubled love affair with porn legend Linda “Linda Lovelace” Boreman continues as not one, but two biopics of the late “Deep Throat” star are sputtering to make it to the screen.
Since Lindsay Lohan was canned from the independently backed movie “Inferno,” “Watchmen” star Malin Akerman got the call to be the star, but there’s still no money in place.
Director Matthew Wilder told the L.A. Times in an email that’s there’s a deal in place with Louisiana investors and they’re casting for the role of Lovelace’s ex-husband Chuck Traynor so they can begin shooting this summer.
Two other directors, Jeffrey Friedman and Robert Epstein ("Howl") are also still optimistic about their production of Lovelace’s life with Kate Hudson rumored to be the lead in what they’re calling a "nontraditional biopic."
Usually one producer will back off when two biopics are jockeying to premiere, but the Lovelace filmmakers see a pop-culture appeal — and no doubt a good deal of porn titillation — that will appeal to mainstream audiences.
Although Universal’s 2005 documentary "Inside Deep Throat" centered around Lovelace, today’s mainstream’s acceptance and fascination with porn as exhibited by crossover stars like Sasha Grey, may be just the right climate the filmmakers are banking on to launch the new Lovelace stories.
Add the fact that unlike most porn documentaries that played up wild “boogie nights,” Lovelace’s story is dark and fraught with tales of manipulation by Traynor and a love/hate relationship with porn that may be the new dramatic formula for success.
Friedman said that Lovelace’s life is tough to decipher. "You need to take an interesting perspective on the story because her own perspective on her life kept shifting."
