Jessica Lange stars as the titular character in "The Great Lillian Hall," a new HBO original streaming on Max. She plays a renowned Broadway actress facing dementia.
Directed by Michael Cristofer, the film follows Lillian's preparations for a production of "The Cherry Orchard" while battling Lewy body dementia. It showcases Lange's expressive acting.
Elisabeth Seldes-Annacone wrote a script loosely tied to the life of her aunt, veteran Broadway actress Marian Seldes.
Chaos surrounds the final dress rehearsals, and Lillian's onset of dementia ultimately leads her to realize the difficulty of letting go.
Lange delivers an acclaimed, awards-worthy performance, capturing the complexities of dementia with nuance and avoiding clichés.
Lange's performance is expected to be a strong contender for Lead Actress awards during the Emmy season.
The supporting cast, including Kathy Bates as Lillian's assistant Edith and Pierce Brosnan as her neighbor, adds depth and authenticity to the story.
Sources: The Guardian, CNN, ABC News, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, El Comercio, Pink Villa, Showbiz411, Screen Rant, IndieWire, Variety, Deadline, News-24, List23, Aussiedlerbote, MLive, The Cinemaholic, Star Tribune, Conway Daily Sun, and MEAWW.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
