HBO has released a trailer for their upcoming, equal parts heart-wrenching and heartfelt documentary, Adrienne, which will premiere on December 1. The film, which is under the direction of Andy Ostroy, the husband of the late Adrienne Shelly, will tell the story of Shelly’s remarkable life. Shelly wore many hats in life as an actor, filmmaker, wife, and most importantly to her—mother. The late creative starred in more than twenty movies, among them The Unbelievable Truth and Trust. As a writer and director, Shelly brought women to the forefront by making them the stars of her stories. She wrote and directed many movies, with the most well-known being Waitress, which took the Sundance Film Festival by storm in 2007.
Beyond Sundance, the Keri Russell (The Americans) and Nathan Fillion (Castle) led film, received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike and was even adapted for Broadway in a production starring singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles. Unfortunately, in a sick and devastating twist of fate, Shelly would never see the incredible success of her hardwork as she was murdered in late 2006. Although the murder was first ruled a suicide, Ostroy fought the authorities and would stop at nothing to make sure his late wife’s killer was held accountable.
The documentary on this extremely talented storyteller will be told by using interviews, home video, and archival footage as well as Ostroy’s personal narrative. The interviews will include words from Shelly's family and friends, along with actors such as Paul Rudd, Cheryl Hines, Lew Temple, Jessie Mueller, Jeremy Sisto, Russell, and Fillion, as well as Hal Hartley and Bareilles. Those that helped with her murder investigation, such as now-retired NYC homicide detective Irma Rivera-Duffy and forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, will also be interviewed.
The trailer shows us a look at the documentary which aims to be a celebration of Shelly’s life and gives us a peek at what we can expect. The film is sure to be a tearjerker as Ostroy and Shelly’s now 17-year-old daughter makes several appearances speaking of her mother and viewing the world through her mother’s eyes. In a voiceover, we hear Ostroy saying, “Not a minute of every day goes by without me thinking of Adrienne and what my daughter, Sophie, has lost. What the world has lost.”
While Shelly’s life ended in an unbelievably devastating way for all of those who loved her, the documentary is certain to cast a light on how happy, talented, loving, driven, and passionate this mother, wife, actress, and filmmaker truly was. Adrienne airs on December 1 at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) Check out the full trailer below: