Hillary Clinton teaming with daughter Chelsea to form Hollywood production company
Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea are forming a production company to pursue film and television projects, making a foray into Hollywood after decades in the public eye.
The two have spoken to studios about financing a pipeline of programs, said people familiar with the matter. They would give a studio first crack at releasing the projects, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are at an early stage.
The family hopes to use film and television to influence culture and society now that Clinton is out of politics. They plans to focus on stories by and about women. The production company is one of many potential business opportunities that Clinton, 71, is considering.
Clinton previously signed on to help produce a TV show with Steven Spielberg. That series, “The Woman’s Hour,” is an adaptation of a book about activists who fought to give women the right to vote.
The Clintons are following in the footsteps of the Obamas. Former President Obama and his wife Michelle created a company, Higher Ground Productions, and have a deal at Netflix Inc. Their first slate of shows includes an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ book about federal bureaucracy, as well as a drama series about the world of fashion.
While actors such as Ronald Reagan have used their Hollywood fame to launch successful political careers, it had been rare for politicians to go the other way. Candidates have long come to Hollywood to raise money, however, and Clinton has a large base of support among donors — including Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and director J.J. Abrams.
Clinton served as the first lady of Arkansas, the first lady of the U.S., a senator from New York and secretary of State. She twice ran for president, losing to Obama in the 2008 Democratic primary and then to Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Since the 2016 election, she has formed a political action committee, published a memoir and gone on a speaking tour.
