THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE Starring Jessica Chastain & Andrew Garfield Begins Production

Fox Searchlight Pictures announced today that principal photography on THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE is underway in Charlotte, North Carolina. The film is written by Abe Sylvia (Dead to Me, DIRTY GIRL) and directed by Michael Showalter (THE BIG SICK; HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS), and stars Jessica Chastain (MOLLY’S GAME, ZERO DARK THIRTY) and Andrew Garfield (HACKSAW RIDGE, SILENCE). The film is based on Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s acclaimed 2000 documentary of the same name chronicling the dynamic ascent and subsequent demise and redemption of televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker as described by Tammy Faye herself.

THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE is an intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. In the 1970s and 80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from humble beginnings to create the world’s largest religious broadcasting network and theme park, and were revered for their message of love, acceptance and prosperity. Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life. However, it wasn’t long before financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and scandal toppled their carefully constructed empire.

Jessica Chastain noted, “I was deeply moved by Tammy Faye’s story from the moment I saw Fenton and Randy’s documentary, so Kelly and I are thrilled to be partnering with them, Fox Searchlight, Michael Showalter, MWM Studios and the rest of the filmmaking team to bring such an incredible true story to audiences. We are looking forward to sharing Tammy Faye’s story with the world, she was truly a woman ahead of her time.”

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Cherry Jones (The Handmaid’s Tale, Succession) as Tammy Faye’s mother Rachel, Fredric Lehne (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN) as Tammy Faye’s step-father Fred, Gabriel Olds (SURROGATES) as televangelist, media mogul and former Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson, Vincent D’Onofrio (THE CELL, MEN IN BLACK) as American Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative activist Jerry Falwell, Mark Wystrach (JOHNNY CHRIST), an American actor and country music singer, as Gary Paxton, Sam Jaeger (Parenthood, SHAZAM!) as Roe Messner and Chandler Head (THE GLASS CASTLE) as Little Tammy Faye.

ABOUT FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Fox Searchlight Pictures is a specialty film company that both finances and acquires motion pictures. It has its own marketing and distribution operations, and is part of The Walt Disney Studios.

ABOUT MWM STUDIOS:

MWM Studios, a division of MWM, is an award-winning entertainment company that develops, produces, finances, and arranges distribution for best-in-class film and television content to diverse global audiences. MWM Studios teams with first-class storytellers to empower creators and amplify their vision across genres.

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