biography film netflix

15 Best Biopics on Netflix Right Now

Biopics have now become a hot genre because there’s something about real-life stories of certain individuals that lure filmmakers. It may be an entire lifetime of a person or just a few crucial years that act as an amazing storyline for a film. It’s no surprise why biopics are able to do so well. Extraordinary stories of successful people or people who had a deeper cause to serve society, all of these inspire us to live a better life. But these stories become more impactful when they are based on the lives of real individuals. Some make us believe in ourselves and our goals while some restore our faith in humanity. The good news is that a great number of these movies are already available on Netflix. So all you have to do is scroll down and choose one of the few biopic movies that we have listed. Here’s the list of really good biopic movies on Netflix that are available to stream right now.

15. Roxanne Roxanne (2017)

Directed and written by Michael Larnell, ‘Roxanne Roxanne’ is an autobiographical musical drama film that stars Chanté Adams, Mahershala Ali, Nia Long, and Elvis Nolasco. Roxanne Shante, a young rapper from New York, has already made her reputation as one of the most feared battle emcees in the 80s. Whoever had seen her perform knew that she was all set to become a hip-hop legend. ‘Roxanne Roxanne’ recounts Shante’s inspiring story as she worked tirelessly to provide for her family and achieved musical success in the process.

14. Come Sunday (2018)

This film is based on an episode of the public radio series called ‘This American Life’. The biopic is about an internationally renowned pastor who went by the name Carton Pearson. When Carton defied the morals of the church and started preaching that there is no hell, he found himself being ostracized by his own church and the Christian community who labeled him as an unorthodox non-conformist. The film has a lot of mixed opinions when it comes to the reviews because it goes against the religious values of a lot of people. But don’t let the reviews fool you, this film is great and has some amazing cinematography with acting.

13. Milk (2008)

Starring Sean Penn and James Franco, ‘Milk’ tells the life story of Harvey Milk starting from his 40th birthday all the way up to his death. The film traces his journey as he struggles to fight for gay rights in the country as an activist and later becomes California’s first gay elected official. The biopic also highlights his relationships with two men along the way and how the death of one really moves him. ‘Milk’ is an extremely moving film and will make you truly feel the struggles of Harvey Milk and all the gay activists of that era.

12. First They Killed My Father (2017)

Directed by Angeline Jolie , this one is the true story of a 5-year-old girl named Loung Ung and her struggles with her family when the Khmer Rouge had taken over Cambodia in the year 1975. Their terrorizing rule led to the death of over 2 million Cambodians. The film shows how Ung and her siblings were sent to Labor Camps and were trained to become soldiers at such a young and delicate age. This film holds a great amount of historical accuracy and clearly, a lot of effort has been into portraying Loung Ung’s story. It does not focus too much on showing the violence and gore prevailing at that time and instead shows the underlying terror and chaos during the time which makes this one a great watch.

11. Christine (2016)

Christine Chubbuck was a TV reporter back in the 70s. This film tells her story by narrating her struggles as a working woman, pressures from her home and also her own depression . This film has been quite under the radar but deserves more appreciation. It tends to get inside your head with its depressing characters and storyline with uncomfortable slow burn throughout. Note that this movie can be triggering for those who are already going through something but overall, it’s a very good movie with some brilliant acting.

10. Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021)

Featuring Bob Ross, Steve Ross, Vicky Ross, and John Thamm, ‘Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed’ is a biographical documentary film directed by Joshua Rofé. As the name suggests, the movie revolves around the rise of the titular protagonist, a brilliant painter and television host, who spread love, joy, and happiness to the millions of viewers glued to his programs on their television screens from around the world. With great success came significant financial burdens. While offering a touching overview of Bob’s inspiring life, the film immediately turns its attention towards the battle for his business empire that saddened and infuriated a lot of his fans.

9. Baggio: The Divine Ponytail (2021)

Written by Ludovica Rampoldi and Stefano Sardo, ‘Baggio: The Divine Ponytail’ is a biographical sports film that stars Andrea Arcangeli, Valentina Bellè, and Thomas Trabacch. The Letizia Lamartire directorial recounts the inspiring life story of Roberto Baggio, a former footballer who dedicated 22 years of his life to the sport. From successes to his failures and regretful mistakes, the movie captures everything. It also introduces viewers to the man behind closed doors and his relationship with his loved ones. Roberto’s affinity to Nichiren Buddhism and his adherence to its philosophy is also deeply discussed.

8. Sergio (2020)

Greg Barker’s ‘Sergio’ is a biographical drama movie produced by Wagner Moura, Brent Travers, and Daniel Dreifuss. The film focuses on Sérgio Vieira de Mello, a United Nations diplomat who, after working tirelessly on several international political programs for more than three decades, decides to do something about the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. Despite warnings not to visit Baghdad in the middle of conflict, Sérgio tries to negotiate the withdrawal of American troops so that the country can achieve freedom. However, his attempts do not go as planned as he gets trapped in the basement of a hotel after a terrorist attack.

7. Mank (2020)

Directed by David Fincher, ‘Mank’ is a black-and-white biographical drama film that revolves around the development of the popular 40s film ‘Citizen Kane’ and its screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. It is set in the 1930s and offers an exciting insight into the Hollywood of the time. However, the films’ focus remains on the development of the iconic movie and challenges faced by Herman along the way.

6. The Dirt (2019)

Written by Rich Wilkes and Amanda Adelson, ‘The Dirt’ is a biographical comedy-drama film that is based on Neil Strauss’s book ‘The Dirt: Confessions of the World’s Most Notorious Rock Band.’ After spending several crucial years of his early life with his abusive mother, Frank Carlton Feranna Jr. ventures into the outside world in search of his father and eventually stumbles upon the purpose of his life. When he met Tommy Lee in 1980, the musician shared his plan to form a new band, and the two joined hands to include other members in the team. After the inclusion of Mick Mars and Vince Neil, the Mötley Crüe was formed and, in just a few years’ time, became one of the most popular rock bands on the planet.

5. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Featuring stand-out performances by Eddie Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, and Craig Robinson, ‘Dolemite Is My Name’ is a biographical comedy film written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. It revolves around a struggling artist named Rudy Ray Moore, who is desperately trying to get his music on the air in the 1970s. Unfortunately, he has had little success, and his future is still clouded in uncertainty. However, on one ordinary night, an unexpected encounter with a homeless man changes Rudy’s life as he discovers his true calling and ends up entertaining the world, albeit in his own humble and small way.

4. A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)

Inspired by Josh Karp’s 2006 non-fiction book of the same name, ‘A Futile and Stupid Gesture’ is a biographical comedy-drama film written by John Aboud and Michael Colton. The David Wain directorial follows Douglas Kenney, who, along with his classmate Henry Beard lays the foundations of a monthly magazine named the National Lampoon. The duo leaves the life-transforming opportunity of attending law school for their ambitious goal and, with Douglas’ big vision, manages to change the American comedy scene in innovative ways.

Read More: Best Christian Movies on Netflix

3. Schumacher (2021)

Directed by Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker, and Michael Wech, ‘Schumacher’ is a German sports documentary film that focuses on the inspiring career of the titular protagonist and features Corinna Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Mika Häkkinen, Jean Todt among many others. The movie offers an intimate understanding of German Formula One racing driver Michael’s personal and professional life using unseen videos, archive footage, and interviews. From his early go-kart career to the struggle with the death of Ayrton Senna, ‘Schumacher’ paints a moving portrait of the legendary racer with an accurate depiction of his failures, successes, and fears.

Read More: Best Horror Movies on Netflix

2. Barry (2016)

Directed by Vikram Gandhi, ‘Barry’ is a drama movie that centers upon Barack Obama’s college days and gives viewers a unique perspective on his life. In the early 1980s, the 44th President of the United States reached New York as a 21-year-old exchange student to Columbia University, where he made friends with his roommate, Will. Barack participated in debates about philosophy and American society and took an active interest in political affairs. ‘Barry’ gives viewers an intimate understanding of what Obama was like during his early 20s and offers a closer look at the interests that eventually made him the leader he is today.

Read More: Best Black Movies on Netflix

1. The Most Hated Woman in America (2017)

Tommy O’Haver’s ‘The Most Hated Woman in America’ is a biographical drama film that stars Melissa Leo, Peter Fonda, Sally Kirkland, and Rory Cochrane. The film centers upon Madalyn Murray O’Hair, an activist, atheist, and proponent for the separation of church from the state who fiercely advocated for his beliefs despite the challenges in her path. Unfortunately, she gets kidnapped in the mid-90s along with her son Garth and granddaughter Robin by people who detest her ideas which eventually ends tragically.

Read More: Best Suicide Movies on Netflix

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18 biopics to watch on Netflix right now

• Biographical movies exploring the lives of real people are always popular films.
• Actors are often given awards for these roles while audiences learn more about historical figures.
• Insider lists the 18 best biopics to watch on Netflix listed in chronological order by release year.

'Bonnie and Clyde' (1967)

Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway took on the title roles in this movie, which focus on American criminals, Bonnie and Clyde, infamous bank robbers during the Great Depression.

Both landed Oscar nominations for their portrayals. In fact, the movie earned five acting nominations in total (winning supporting actress for Estelle Parsons), plus nods for best director and best picture, too.

'The Pianist' (2002)

Controversial director Roman Polanski won best director for this movie that is based on the autobiography of Holocaust survivor Władysław Szpilman.

The movie also won best actor for its young star Adrien Brody, too, for his critically acclaimed performance as Szpilman. 

'Milk' (2008)

Gus Van Sant's "Milk" tells the story of gay rights activist Harvey Milk , the first-ever openly gay person to be elected to public office in California.

Sean Penn won an Oscar for playing Milk, while a stellar supporting cast includes James Franco, Josh Brolin, and Diego Luna.

The movie was written by Dustin Lance Black, who also won an Oscar for his work.

'Ip Man' (2008)

"Ip Man" and its three sequels are the ultimate compendium of the life and times of Ip Man, the grandmaster of Wing Chun and the teacher of Bruce Lee. 

The stunning cinematography and choreography help to bring a unique visual style to these biographical films.

Good news, too. "Ip Man" two, three, and four are all also on Netflix, so you can watch the entire saga.

'The Social Network' (2010)

Aaron Sorkin's masterful screenplay served as the basis for this film, which explores how Mark Zuckerberg created what would later be known as Facebook.

Jesse Eisenberg plays Zuckerberg, while Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Rooney Mara chip in with outstanding supporting performances, too. The movie competed for multiple Oscars, but ultimately only won for Sorkin's script despite David Fincher being a hot contender for best director. 

'My Week With Marylin' (2011)

There have been many biographical films and TV shows that have explored the life of Marilyn Monroe , but none match up to Michelle Williams' performance as the iconic actress.

This movie cleverly focuses on one week in 1956, when Monroe was shooting the 1957 film "The Prince and the Showgirl" with Laurence Olivier (played in this film by Kenneth Branagh).

While shooting the film in London, Monroe is escorted around the town by a young, hopeful filmmaker (Eddie Redmayne).

'The Iron Lady' (2011)

Meryl Streep won her third Oscar for this biopic, winning best actress for playing Margaret Thatcher .

While the movie itself received luke-warm reviews, this is worth a watch for Streep's powerhouse performance alone as we are shown Thatcher's life from a young politician to her days as Prime Minister to the years when her health began to decline.

'Get on Up' (2011)

The late, great Chadwick Boseman starred in multiple biopics, but his performance as James Brown in "Get on Up" is one of his very best.

This biopic tells the complete story of Brown's life as he rose from poverty to become one of the most iconic musicians of all time.

'Fruitvale Station' (2013)

Michael B. Jordan made a name for himself with this heartbreaking and tragic movie following the story of Oscar Grant III.

The movie, which also stars fellow future MCU star Brie Larson, follows Oscar on the last day of 2008, which detailed how he was killed at the hands of police.

'Philomena' (2013)

Steve Coogan traded in his comedy chops for more drama with this movie, which he also wrote (with Jeff Pope).

Coogan plays a journalist who agrees to take on the story of an elderly Irish woman's (Judi Dench) search for her long-lost son, who was taken away from her by nuns when she was forced to live in a convent.

Dench earned an Oscar nomination for her funny and moving performance.

'The Theory of Everything' (2014)

This movie explores the lives of Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) and his now ex-wife Jane Hawking (Felicity Jones), from their times as university students to Hawking's diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and onwards.

Jones earned an Oscar nomination for her role while Redmayne won the Oscar for best actor.

'Legend' (2015)

Another case of an actor's performance outshining their own film. In "Legend," Tom Hardy takes on the dual role of Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, as the film follows the rise and fall of the infamous gangsters.

Hardy is unrecognizable in both roles and this film is worth watching for him alone.

'Trumbo' (2015)

Bryan Cranston earned his first and (so far) only Oscar nomination for his portrayal of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, the man who wrote "Spartacus," "Roman Holiday" and "The Brave One."

This biopic follows Trumbo's early success in the industry to his eventual blacklisting in Hollywood for being a member of the USA's communist party and his career thereafter.

'Steve Jobs' (2015)

Another killer script from Aaron Sorkin served as the basis for this quietly-thrilling look at Steve Jobs, the late creative who built Apple.

The movie cleverly focuses on three separate product launches in different years, showing the sort of person Jobs was at work and at home.

Despite a troubled production history, which saw a change of actors and directors more than once, the movie soars with Michael Fassbender in the lead role of Jobs. He and Kate Winslet were both nominated for Oscars.

'The Founder' (2016)

This is the story of how one of the largest and most recognizable brands in the world was made: McDonald's.

Michael Keaton stars as the shady, ruthless, and ambitious businessman Ray Kroc, who stole the McDonald brothers' fast food business out from under them.

'The Two Popes' (2019)

While a movie about two Popes chatting for two hours might not sound thrilling, it actually is.

Written by "The Theory of Everything" scribe Anthony McCarten, Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins star as the future Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI, respectively.

The two men engage in conversational battles of wit, principles, and conflicting opinions as Pope Benedict's time as the head of the Catholic Church comes to an end.

'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile' (2019)

In Zac Efron's darkest ever role , the "High School Musical" alum plays serial killer Ted Bundy.

Told from the point of view of his longtime girlfriend Liz (Lily Collins), who refused to believe the truth about Bundy, we learn of the horrific nature of one of America's most infamous killers.

'Mank' (2020)

Nominated for 10 Oscars and winning two , David Fincher's expertly-crafted movie explores the life of Hollywood screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and how he wrote "Citizen Kane."

Oldman earned an Oscar nomination for playing Mankiewicz, while Amanda Seyfried landed her first-ever Oscar nod for her supporting performance as actress Marion Davies.

Fincher presents this story in the format of a 1940s movie itself, complete with reel-change cigarette burns, which indicate when a film reel needs to be changed.

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

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13 of the best biography movies on Netflix

Some netflix recommendations for the week ahead.

Deirdre Molumby

3 years ago

Having offered horrors, action movies, thrillers and more in the past, we're looking at the best biography movies on Netflix this week.

In recent weeks, we covered the  best romantic comedies , sci fi movies ,  musicals  and war movies on Netflix . We've gone in a totally different direction again for this week, looking at biographies, or biopics, on Netflix.

The genre has often found success in awards season. After all, there are few things more moving than true life stories. Seeing big names step into and transform themselves into real-life icons consistently impresses audiences.

There are plenty of biographical dramas, or biography movies, to choose from.

With the combination of a script from Aaron Sorkin; Danny Boyle as the director; and leads in Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet, audiences knew they were going to get something really interesting out of 'Steve Jobs'. The flick takes place over the course of 14 years, examining three pivotal moments in the Apple co-founder's life. Fassbender, who lost the Best Actor Oscar that year to Leonardo DiCaprio in 'The Revenant', has called it the most challenging role of his career.

The Social Network

Sure we all know about  Facebook . So why not watch the movie that depicts how the social media platform started? The film’s phenomenal cast boasts Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker, and Armie Hammer as Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Aaron Sorkin’s incisive script earned the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Its opening has got to be one of the best movie breakup scenes ever.

The Theory of Everything

This engrossing romantic drama depicting the life of Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his wife Jane earned Eddie Redmayne an Oscar and was a breakthrough performance for Felicity Jones. (She went on to star in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' and 'On the Basis of Sex'). Their marriage gradually, sadly disintegrates and 'The Theory of Everything' tenderly and sympathetically depicts the breakdown from both sides.

The Young Victoria

As well as 'The Devil Wears Prada', 'The Young Victoria' features another early performance from Emily Blunt that showed her talent as an actress. The movie takes the romance between the titular queen and Prince Albert (played here by Rupert Friend) as its focus. Director Jean-Marc Vallée would go on to helm 'Dallas Buyers Club' and 'Big Little Lies'. This isn't any old costume drama.

Brad Pitt leads an ensemble cast in this sports drama about a struggling baseball team who uses maths, statistics and a whole lorra gumption to turn their team into a powerhouse. With a screenplay co-written by Aaron Sorkin, 'Moneyball's much more than just sports stats and Brad Pitt looking sad. There's a lot of heart and courage to the whole thing. And you don't need to know a thing about baseball.

12 Years a Slave

Michael Fassbender's most terrifying role to date is his performance as slave owner Edwin Epps in '12 Years a Slave.' The multi-Academy award winning movie follows Solomon Northup, a free African-American man who was kidnapped by con men and sold into slavery in 1841. Brilliant performances are given by Chiwetel Ejiofor as the lead; Lupita Nyong'o as Patsey (who won an Oscar for her performance); and Paul Dano as the cruel John Tibeats.

A Beautiful Mind

The biopic depicts the life of the brilliant American mathematician John Nash. Nash's prospects of a promising career with the CIA become confounded by paranoid delusions and schizophrenia as the stress of the job proves too much. The Russell Crowe starrer proved a big box office success. It was also the big winner of the 2002 Academy Awards, earning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (for Jennifer Connelly).

The King’s Speech

We can all appreciate how dastardly handsome and talented Colin Firth is. It transcends gender and generation, so all audiences should enjoy this, his career best (no, it's not 'Mamma Mia!'). Firth won an Oscar for playing King George VI, who suffers with a stammer and requires a speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush) to cope. Helena Bonham Carter, a regular in historical and costume dramas, makes a brilliant Queen Elizabeth.

Coach Carter

Basketball became big on Netflix this year with the success of Michael Jordan's docuseries 'The Last Dance'. If you can't get enough of that content, 'Coach Carter' is a great one to check out. It's a very entertaining if not slightly schmaltzy sports drama (but sure they're all a bit sentimental, if we're honest). Samuel L Jackson plays the real life figure, who benches his team of high school players when they break their academic contracts with him. Wonder if that will get them motivated...

Fruitvale Station

If you're a fan of 'Creed' and 'Black Panther' star Michael B. Jordan , then you should check out the film that launched his career. Interestingly enough, like 'Creed' and 'Black Panther', it has the same director in Ryan Coogler. Based on a true story, 'Fruitvale Station' depicts the events leading to the death of Oscar Grant. Grant was killed in 2009 by a police officer at the titular Fruitvale district station in Oakland. Clocking in at an hour and a half, it's a succinct and very powerful feature that's more relevant than ever.

Dolemite is My Name

Once you watch the movie, it'll be impossible to read the title without hearing/saying: "Dolemite is my name, and f***in' up motherf***ers is my game!" The biography based on the eccentric comedy and movie career of Rudy Ray Moore features Eddie Murphy's best performance in years . It's smart, it's funny and stars an abundance of black talent, including surprise appearances from the likes of Wesley Snipes and Snoop Dogg.

Erin Brockovich

Based on a true story, this is the movie that finally turned Julia Roberts in Oscar-winning Julia Roberts. Her turn as Erin found the actress at her most charming and down to earth since 'Pretty Woman'. It relates how an unemployed, single mother gets caught up in a lawsuit with her new boss (Albert Finney), eventually leading them to take on a massive Californian power company who may have been polluting the city's water supply.

‘First Man’, which stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong and is directed by Damien Chazelle, got overlooked when it came to the Oscars, possibly due to the huge degree of attention 'La La Land', the prior collaboration between the actor and director, got the year before. Probably just as well you can watch it on the smaller screen platform of Netflix now; the cinematography, impressive as it is, can make the viewer a little seasick. 'The Crown's Claire Foy, it's also worth mentioning, is fantastic.

New to Streaming in Ireland

The wages of fear, x-men '97, 3 body problem, solo leveling, avatar: the last airbender, land of bad, oppenheimer, after the pandemic, mashle: magic and muscles, looney tunes cartoons, house of the dragon, kung fu panda: the dragon knight, star trek: lower decks, spy x family, star wars: the bad batch, the mighty ones, the ghost and molly mcgee, moon knight, what if..., dc's stargirl, only murders in the building, mushoku tensei: jobless reincarnation, the great north, star wars: visions, the legend of vox machina, star trek: prodigy, ncis: hawai'i, the wheel of time.

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10 Biographical Documentaries to Watch on Netflix Now That You’ve Finished ‘Harry & Meghan'

A different kind of reality program.

Everyone has their own story: in the fast-paced and glamorized world of film and TV, authenticity is needed. Where dramatizations make good entertainment, sometimes a story is best told by the person who lived through it. Biographical documentaries encourage this. They have allowed people who have lived in extraordinary circumstances to claim agency over their narratives.

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These kinds of documentaries give us an intimate look into the truth of human lives, regardless of how exposed they may be. Where Harry & Meghan is a recent example of this, public figures are not the only ones whose stories deserve to be told. The beauty of Netflix is that there's a wide spectrum of biographical documentaries at the audience's fingertips that are guaranteed to captivate, entertain and move all.

'Sr' (2022)

Where the world may know Robert Downey Jr. , this story is about his late father, Robert Downey Sr. , the visionary filmmaker who made waves in Hollywood in the 1960s with his absurdist and non-conventional art. Filmed during his final years, Sr. pays tribute to all aspects of this artist's life and expansive career.

A picture set in black and white, this movie is an intimate and deeply personal story of a father and son. Where it features Downey Sr.'s journey through Parkinson's disease, this isn't a gloom-ridden watch but one filled with heart . With quippy banter between the duo and comedic attempts of Downey Sr. taking control over the camera work, audiences are given an inside look at their poignant discussions of addiction, fatherhood, and grief.

'Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey' (2022)

This story uncovers the truth behind the rise and fall of Fundamentalist cult leader Warren Jeffs , a radical of the denomination of Mormonism who encouraged the acts of polygamy, underaged marriage, and abuse.

Documenting the atrocities within the patriarchal religious cult , this four-part series studies Jeff's crooked mind as the self-proclaimed prophet. Through confronting archival footage and interviews from the women who bravely left and defied the cult's clutches, Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey will leave audiences shocked for days to come. Do be aware that this documentary contains triggering sequences.

'Becoming' (2020)

Following Michelle Obama on her book tour for her first memoir, this documentary is an intimate look into her life as she recounts her upbringing, her time as First Lady, and what her life has been like since leaving the White House.

Bringing viewers behind the curtains of the 34-city travel stops, Becoming is just as much about Obama's life as it is about the connections she makes with the women she meets, particularly high school students around the country. Similar to the key message in her book, she hopes to encourage the future generation to find their voice and use it.

'Ladies First' (2018)

Deepika Kumari was a girl born in poverty who found a love for archery in her youth. Ladies First chronicles her inspirational journey to success as she joined the Tata Archery Academy and ultimately became one of the world's greatest archers.

Where this documentary comments on rural India's economic hardships, it's mainly the story of a woman who broke the social barriers of her deeply patriarchal culture. Showing the highs and lows of her career, this documentary celebrates how Kumari's path actively challenged the ingrained cultural perception of a woman's inferiority to men. Ladies First honors her ground-breaking achievements and highlights how she has inspired many more.

'Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond' (2017)

With hours of behind-the-scenes footage from the set of the 1999 biopic Man On The Moon , this documentary centers around Jim Carey reflecting on his dedication to absorbing the persona of legendary comedian Andy Kauffman .

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Where viewers will learn more about the interesting creative life of Kauffman, Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond is really about Carey and who he is as an artist and performer. By consistently shifting to the on-set footage of the biopic, Carey's method acting is put at the forefront . From crashing cars into studio walls to irritating the entire production team, viewers are called to ponder how far is too far for the purpose of an actor's craft.

'A Secret Love' (2020)

This is the story of Pat Henschel and Terry Donohue , two former baseball players who have kept their relationship a secret for 70 years. Now in their 90s and having only recently revealed the truth to their families, they now look to see what their future entails.

An incredibly moving and heartfelt love story, this documentary tackles the historical struggles of the LGBTQ+ community and its long-lasting effects of the years of ingrained shame. Told through the lens of a couple entering what's naturally presumed the final chapter of their lives, A Secret Love will easily move viewers to tears as Henschel and Donohue look through archival materials and reflect on their sacrifices to protect their union of love.

'Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé' (2019)

Documenting the process behind Beyoncé 's renowned Coachella performance in 2018, Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé is a celebration and homage to Black culture , particularly Black feminism.

Canonized as "Beychella" by her fan base, this performance was praised for its quality and power and its historical nature as Beyoncé was the first Black woman to headline the iconic music festival. As a result, this documentary features an amalgamation of behind-the-scenes footage, with an assortment of music styles and voice-over monologues that quotes legends from the likes of Nina Simone and Maya Angelou . As an ode to Black artists, Beyoncé's film will enthrall viewers because of her dedication as a performer and her growing role as a political figure.

'Dick Johnson is Dead' (2020)

After Richard Johnson is diagnosed with dementia, his filmmaker daughter Kirsten Johnson takes on a project to help them face the inevitable. Her solution—stage his death in creative and comical ways.

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This documentary, a very smart comedy with a touch of morbidity , is one of the most creative projects within the last few years. From death by air conditioner unit to flamboyant depictions of the afterlife, Dick Johnson is Dead utilizes absurdism to tackle the confronting truths of human mortality masterfully. It's a deeply poignant story that may make viewers weep yet still leave them smiling.

'The Defiant Ones' (2017')

This docuseries is a deep dive into the legendary partnership between Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre , two of the most influential people in the music industry and contemporary culture itself.

Alternating through their childhoods, fans learn of their rocky rise to stardom. Featuring interviews from today's most famous and beloved musicians, such as Eminem and Stevie Nicks, The Defiant Ones pays tribute to the duo's artistry and the paths they collectively paved within the world of music and business.

'Conversations with a Killer: Jeffrey Dahmer' (2022)

Going into the mind of the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer , this three-part series features archival interview footage between him and his legal team. Through this documentary, audiences are confronted with his never-before-heard confessions that detail his horrific crimes.

Gracing the Netflix listings shortly after the release of Ryan Murphy 's dramatization of Dahmer's life, Confessions with a Killer captivates audiences with the facts and truth. Its disturbing nature is amplified by making the killer his storyteller. By giving viewers first-hand knowledge of his motives and mental processing, this series becomes an uncomfortably intimate viewing experience. Dahmer's directness and openness to revealing his atrocities will even leave the biggest true-crime fans spooked and unsettled .

KEEP READING: 10 Best Crime Documentaries Not Produced By Netflix

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New Fresh Biography Movies on Netflix (2024)

15+ Best Biography Movies (Biopics) On Netflix Right Now

Biopics are becoming a more popular genre as filmmakers are drawn to the real-life experiences of certain individuals. It might be someone’s entire life or just a few pivotal years that form the basis of a fantastic film plot. It’s no surprise that biopics have a strong following. People who have excelled or who have a higher purpose to contribute to the community have amazing stories to tell. They all motivate us to live a more fulfilling life. These stories, on the other hand, are more impactful when they are based on real-life situations. Some stories inspire us to believe in ourselves and our ambitions, while others renew our confidence in humanity.

With films like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “On the Basis of Sex,” and “First Man,” 2012 was a big year for biopics. The next few years will also be jam-packed with fantastic biopics that are already generating a lot of excitement and will give us a closer look at the lives of significant people who have contributed to the evolution of humanity. This includes the Leonardo Da Vinci biopic, Sir Elton John’s story in Rocketman, and the upcoming J.K Rowling biopic. However, until the films are released, you should watch these excellent biopics that you may have missed. The good news is that most of these movies are available on Netflix. All you have to do now is scroll down and pick one of the few biopic movies we’ve featured. This is a selection of good biopics that you can watch right now on Netflix.

With a younger Chadwick Boseman The story of ’42’ is the story of the first African American Major league baseball player Jackie Robinson. The film tells the inspirational tale of an athlete who did not let racial prejudice hinder his chances of having a successful career in sports. With his exceptional abilities and talents, Jackie Robinson proves that his talent extends far beyond the boundaries of racial segregation. If you’re a fan of sports and enjoy watching films about racism from the past This one is for you.

Come Sunday (2018)

The film is based on one episode from the popular radio show known as ‘This American Life’. The biopic follows an internationally famous pastor who was known as Carton Pearson. When Carton refused to conform to the morals that the Church imposes and began proclaiming there was no heaven, the pastor was ostracized by his church as well as the Christian community, who branded the pastor as an unorthodox nonconformist. The film is a source of mixed reviews when it is viewed by critics due to the fact that it is against the beliefs of many people. Don’t let the negative reviews make you believe that this film is fantastic and features some incredible cinematography and acting.

ALSO READ : 35 Best Suspense Movies On Netflix That’ll Keep You Guessing

Christine (2016)

Christine Chubbuck was a TV reporter back during the 1970s. The film tells her story through the lens of her struggles as a woman working and the pressures of her home, and her own depression. The film has been unnoticed, but it deserves more attention. It can get inside your head and make you feel sad with its sadistic characters and storyline that is a bit slow and uncomfortable throughout. Be aware that this film can cause anxiety for people who are currently going through some sort of issue, but it’s an excellent film with some outstanding acting.

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

With Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto The film ‘Dallas Buyers’ is a touching tale of a rodeo star named Ron who lives his life on his own terms and doesn’t care about the people around him. However, his life is turned upside down when he’s identified with AIDS and this is when Ron discovers a drug that is banned that can help him live. Incredibly moved by the struggle of fellow AIDS sufferers, he decides to sneak the drug into his home and distribute it to those who are in need. If you’ve ever doubted Matthew McConaughey’s actingskills, this film will convince you of his talent and to Jared Leto, this one is likely to be one of his finest performance.

First They Killed My Father (2017)

Produced and directed by Angeline Jolie. This film is the real story of a five-year-old girl known as Loung Ung and her struggles with her family members when she was a victim of the Khmer Rouge had taken over Cambodia in 1975. The Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule resulted in the deaths of more than two million Cambodians. The film reveals the process by which Ung and her family members were taken to Labor Camps and were taught in the art of becoming soldiers an extremely young and fragile age. The film has a significant quantity of accuracy in the past, and it is evident that much effort was put into telling Loung the story of Ung. The film doesn’t focus too much on the gore and violence that was prevalent in the time, but instead depicts the chaos and terror of the period, which makes this film a fantastic film to watch.

Lincoln (2012)

“Lincoln” gives you the most accurate historical insight into the struggles of America’s president to abolish slaves during his time in the American Civil War, Confronted by the nation as well as the Cabinet members. Lincoln does his best and is racing against time to secure approval of the Congress before peace is restored to the country. Lincoln was among the top acclaimed films at the Oscars because of its stunning depiction of the American heroes Abraham Lincoln. It certainly is a benchmark for a biopic, and definitely will not be surpassed by other film on similar subject.

Lion (2016)

“Lion” is a biopic that centers on the story of the life of an Indian child who is adopted and raised in the care of the same Australian couple. The film stars Dev Patel, the movies tells the story of a little Indian child who is living in the slum along with his family. One day, he is lost while going to the park with his older brother. One incident leads to another, and he is taken in by an Australian couple who treat the child like they would their own in Australia. Beset by the traumatic memories of his family and past The boy attempts to find his family and then returns to his family after more than 25 years. Saroo’s tale is a heartbreaking drama with some great performances from Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel and will make you want to pour the tears out.

Milk (2008)

With Sean Penn and James Franco James Franco and Sean Penn, “Milk” is a story about Harvey Milk starting from his 40th birthday all the way until his passing. The film follows his life through his struggle to fight for the rights of gay people across the United States as an activist , and then becomes the first Californian elected gay official. The biopic also focuses on the relationships he had with two men throughout his journey and how the loss of one truly affects him. “Milk” is a moving film that will make you feel the pain that Harvey Milk and all the gay activists of the time.

Neruda (2016)

“Neruda” tells the story of the poet who won a noble prize Pablo Neruda who is chased by an inspector after joining his Communist group in latter part of 1940s. The most appealing thing about the movie is the fact that it actually transports you back to the 1940s, giving you an entire retro feel featuring car chases that appear to come straight from the 1940s detective films. The narration of both inspector and the suspect battle with one another, giving viewers a mixed impression however, they are at the same time two distinct stories.

Nowhere Boy (2009)

Aaron Taylor Johnson plays the character of a teenager John Lennon who lives with his aunt Mimi and Aunt Mimi in Liverpool. John struggles to establish an authentic connection with his mother following the loss of her husband’s wife and her mother introduces him to musical world when she gives him with a banjo. In the midst of family tensions and conflict, Lenon decides to pursue his interest and begins his own group. The film was produced by the wife of Aaron Taylor Johnson Sam Taylor Johnson and offers an in-depth look at this moment in time. It reveals how specific circumstances shaped John Lennon into becoming the famous musician he became and the way in which the idea of starting The Beatles came through.

Roxanne, Roxanne (2017)

“Roxanne” Roxanne” is a biopic about Lolita “Roxanne Shante” Gooden who, at 14 is battling to become an international hip hop star. Lolita was forced to balance taking care of her family, defending herself from the shady streets in Queensbridge, NYC and make her own life which revolves around her love of. The film offers an inside view of her struggles, but is not a look from the outside at the way she rose to the top of the billboards. It’s still a fun film with great acting performances.

Schindler’s List (1993)

One of the most acclaimed films of this category, this classic tells the touching tale of a self-centered businessman who initially focused on his own advantages from any situation and then becomes an hero after he begins sympathizing with Jews during the World War II and provides them with a shelter to sleep under. He does this to shield the Jews from being gassed at Auschwitz. Auschwitz Concentration Camp and ends in saving the lives of over a thousand Jews. A classic that should be watched by all cinephiles, it proves that there is something good in everyone of us.

The Aviator (2004)

With Leonardo DiCaprio, ‘The Aviator The Aviator’ tells the story about Howard Hughes who started his early filmmaking career at his very personal R.K.O Pictures and spent his remaining time designing aircraft. Hughes was always afflicted with signs of mental illness from an early age, and was also a germophobe. The film also traces his many relationships as well as his willingness to take risks that led him to establish an airline of his own. However, the higher he rises the more the fall, and so do Howard Hughes. The film might not be the best Leo’s work, but it is worth watching and will make you want to learn more about American History around the 30s and 40s.

The Fighter (2016)

Marky Mark is the character of Micky Ward, a struggling with his career as a boxer. The reluctance and inattention of his older sister Dicky (Christian Bale) and his family members towards his professional career don’t really aid his efforts. However, determined to get something worthwhile out of his professional boxing career, Micky Ward does not quit and continues to fight with the help from his partner Charlene (Amy Adams). As his older brother is struggling to rid himself from his drug addictions Micky continues to push himself until he begins to show his potential. Dicky is aware of the struggles that his older brother is experiencing and decides to assist him in his training which eventually helps him become the boxer he’s always wanted to become. The Fighter is the ideal film for all boxing film enthusiasts out there. The film is filled with fantastic music, amazing performances, and a real story that will definitely motivate you.

The Founder (2016)

The Founder is the real tale of Ray Croc who was a salesperson and saw a lucrative business opportunity when he went to two brothers’ exclusive food establishment. The restaurant he founded became an international business that is now known as McDonald’s. As a salesman, Ray was always an entrepreneur and an individual with determination. However, when life handed his lemons, he made sure to made the most of them. However, a closer look at the film could reveal more. Perhaps the film isn’t really about perseverance, but more about the greed of people and their treachery. Check it out to learn more about the joy food that is spreading across the globe.

The King’s Speech (2010)

The story is set during The Second World War, ‘The King’s Speech’ narrates the real tale of the King George VI, who was suffering from several major speech impairments. The stammering issues he suffered from got in his way of showing himself as a leader. To assist him in the issue his wife employs an expert in speech therapy who has an innovative yet efficient ways of overcoming the King’s stammering. Through the process the therapist and King form a strong connection and the King eventually overcomes his handicap to become the leader he’s always wanted to be.

The Pianist (2002)

The film ‘The Pianist’ is inspired by an autobiography written by Wladyslaw Szpilman, an Polish Radio station’s pianist. The main role plays Adrien Brody, who sees the world changing around him in the wake of World War II begins. The film reveals the way in which Szpilman is hidden in the ruin of Warsaw beginning from the moment the war breaks out and he’s separated from his family all the way until the prisoners from those camps get released. The film is among the most enthralling portrayals of the Holocaust and the emotional impact it affected the lives of people in the Jewish community. There has probably never been an even better Adrien Brody in a previous film.

Our Team DCS includes 5 different writers proficient in English and research based Content Writing. We allow them and encourage them to follow the Entertainment news all day long. Our posts, listicles and even the exclusives are a result of their hard work.

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• DCS https://dotcomstories.com/author/team-dcs/ A Murder at the End of the World: Delving into Faulty Programming
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• DCS https://dotcomstories.com/author/team-dcs/ Bank of Dave: Unveiling the True Story Behind the Remarkable Tale

Biographical Movies Coming Soon to Netflix in 2023 & Beyond

All the biopics set to arrive in 2023 or are in development at Netflix for 2024 and beyond.

Pictures: Netflix / Getty Images

Biopics are all the rage this summer, with Oppenheimer topping the box office and they’ve historically done quite well on Netflix too. Netflix has a bunch of biopics on the way in 2023 and plenty more in development. Here’s a preview of Netflix’s upcoming slate of biopic movies.

We’ve been previewing Netflix’s slate all throughout 2023 and will continue to do so throughout the rest of the year. If you’re into your biopics, you may also be interested to see some of Netflix’s upcoming book adaptations .

Believe it or not, only one biopic has been released on Netflix so far in 2023, with that being True Spirit . The family movie is based on 16-year-old Jessica Watson, who dreamt of becoming the youngest person to sail worldwide.

Biopics Confirmed for Release on Netflix in 2023

Chakda ‘xpress.

Director : Prosit Roy Cast : Anushka Sharma, Renuka Shahane, Anshul Chauhan, Kaushik Sen, Mahesh Thakur

Picture: Netflix

The Indian production is inspired by the true story of one of the fastest female pacers in the history of world cricket, Jhulan Goswami. It charts her career as she moves up the ladder, despite the countless hindrances, to fulfill her only dream: to play cricket.

Director:  Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Cast:  Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Ethan Jones Romero, Luke Cosgrove, Jeena Yi, Eric T. Miller

First look at Nyad on Netflix

This new biopic is based on the marathon swimmer Diana Nyad who became the first person at the age of 60 to do what’s dubbed the Everest of Swims.

At the time of publishing, the movie was rumored to be released on Netflix on November 3rd, following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Keep an eye on our Fall 2023 movie preview list for the latest .

Society of the Snow

Director:  J.A. Bayona Cast:  Enzo Vogrincic, Matías Recalt, Agustín Pardella, Esteban Kukuriczka, Tomas Wolf

Retelling the true events of a rugby team that was left stranded after their passenger flight crashed in the heart of the Andes, this Spanish movie is one of Netflix’s hopefuls for the upcoming awards season.

The movie is confirmed for a 2023 release following its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Director: Bradley Cooper Cast: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Maya Hawke, Matt Bomer, Sarah Silverman, John Hamilton, Scott Ellis, Gideon Glick, Sam Nivola, Alexa Swinton, Miriam Shor

Pictures: Netflix

One of the biggest hopes Netflix has at the Oscars in 2024 is Maestro starring and directed by Bradley Cooper.

The biopic, set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival, sets out to tell us the life story of Leonard Bernstein, an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian.

Director: George C. Wolfe Cast: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Audra McDonald, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Johnny Ramey, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Carra Patterson, Adrienne Warren, Bill Irwin

Rustin. (L to R) Aml Ameen as Martin Luther King and Colman Domingo as Bayard Rustin in Rustin. Cr. David Lee/Netflix © 2022

Another big movie Netflix hopes to scoop awards is Rustin , a highly-anticipated new movie from Higher Ground Productions recounting the gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin who organized the 1963 March on Washington.

The movie is confirmed to hit Netflix on November 17th, following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Director: Philip Martin Cast: Gillian Anderson, Rufus Sewell, Billie Piper, Keeley Hawes

Cast for Netflix’s Scoop

More a biographical film than a biopic, this upcoming British-produced movie based on a screenplay by Peter Moffat looks at Prince Andrew and his interactions with the BBC that led to the stunning Newsnight interview that’s lived on in infamy.

Netflix Biopics Coming in 2024 or Beyond

Ghost in the machine / sheer crazy nerve.

Pictures: Getty Images

First announced in August 2020 (with no significant updates since), this biopic would tell the story of Tanya Smith, who rose to become one of the single biggest threats to the US banking system in the late 20th century.

It’s based on the memoir that was renamed to Sheer Crazy Nerve and looked to be released in bookshops this summer (although we couldn’t quite find evidence of that happening).

Issa Rae and David Heyman are producing.

Director : John Ridley Cast:  Regina King, Lucas Hedges, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, Dorian Missick, Amirah Vann, W. Earl Brown, with André Holland and Terrence Howard

Photo by Don Hogan Charles/New York Times Co./Getty Images

Shirley Chisholm is the central figure that’s the focus of this new biopic starring Regina King, who also serves as a producer on the project.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“Shirley is the intimate portrayal of trailblazing political icon Shirley Chisholm, the first Black Congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for President of the U.S, and the cost of accomplishment for Shirley herself. This film will tell the story of Chisholm’s boundary-breaking and historic presidential campaign, based on exclusive and extensive conversations with family, friends and those who knew her best.”

Shout It Out Loud

Director: Joachim Rønning

Picture: Photo by Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images

Music biopics have exploded in recent years, with the biggest of the bunch being Rocketman about Elton John and Bohemian Rhapsody documenting Queen. Netflix’s biggest swing in the genre has been their 2019 movie The Dirt , looking into the history of Motley Crue.

This biopic (expected to release in 2024) will focus on Gene and Paul, the two kids from Queens who formed KISS and a life-long friendship after enlisting guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss.

Picture: Moonlight Film, Bh Entertainment, Acemaker Movieworks

From Korea, this movie tells the story of Cho Hun-hyun, a former Go champion who discovers a gifted but untrained young boy Lee Chang-ho in an amateur contest.

The movie was originally stated to be released on Netflix in 2023 , but we’ve yet to have confirmation that’s the case given that the release looks to be held off because of the involvement of Yoo Ah-in, who has been arrested on drug charges . It could be the case the movie never sees the light of day.

The Thanksgiving Text

Announced in early 2022 , this new movie is based on the real story of a grandma who accidentally invited a stranger to Thanksgiving, which soon became a heart-warming annual tradition.

State Street Pictures is producing the title with Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr. with Abdul Williams writing.

Untitled Hulk Hogan Biopic

Photo credit should read FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

First announced in February 2019 , Chris Hemsworth was being lined up for a biopic where he’d play WWE superstar Hulk Hogan with Todd Phillips set to direct.

The latest we heard about the project was in 2022, when Chris Hemsworth provided a disappointing update about the project, saying he didn’t know where it was in development.

White Mountains

Picture: Getty Images

Still yet to be confirmed by Netflix itself is White Mountains, a new production from Higher Ground Productions (the production company founded and helmed by Barack and Michelle Obama).

Netflix picked up the script after it featured on The Blacklist with the movie retelling the story of Barney and Betty Hill who claim they were abducted by a UFO in the 1960s.

Rounding out the preview, here are a few more announced projects in the past, but we’ve had little to no information since:

• Janet – From Janet Mock, this feature film was announced back in 2020 and would tell the story of a young black woman at the Washington Post and her ambitious and complicated quest to make the front page.
• Tenzing – A feature film from Higher Ground Productions based on the life of Tenzing Norgay, the first man to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.
• The Ice Bucket Challenge – Produced by Casey Affleck, this biopic would’ve looked into the activist behind the viral sensation.

What biopics are you most excited to watch on Netflix in the years to come? Let us know in the comments.

Founder of What's on Netflix, Kasey has been tracking the comings and goings of the Netflix library for over a decade. Covering everything from new movies, series and games from around the world, Kasey is in charge of covering breaking news, covering all the new additions now available on Netflix and what's coming next.

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• Entertainment
• The True Story Behind Netflix’s Prince Andrew Movie <i> Scoop <i/>

The True Story Behind Netflix’s Prince Andrew Movie Scoop

I n the moments after Prince Andrew sat down with BBC Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis in 2019 to rationalize the nature of his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Duke of York told friends the interview went really well.

The controversial exchange —full of bizarre explanations and quotable one-liners—went on to cause a global storm, and led to the Prince stepping back from royal duties just days later. In its aftermath, the late Queen’s so-called favorite child was stripped of his military titles and royal patronages, and broadly faded away from the public eye. 

Now Scoop , a new film from director Philip Martin aims to dissect the infamous interview through the lens of the three women who made it possible. The newsroom drama—which is streaming on Netflix starting today (April 5)— is based on the book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBC’s Most Shocking Interviews , by former BBC guest booker Sam McAlister, whose sometimes thankless job led her to the exclusive of a lifetime. Alongside her is then-Newsnight editor Esme Wren, and host Maitlis whose poised approach serves as a masterclass in the art of the broadcast interview.

“I heard that Andrew thought the interview had gone well, and then obviously it didn’t. That seemed very interesting territory for a drama to exist in,” Martin tells TIME. “I read Sam's book, and that just seemed such a great way into the story, to look at it through the lens of the women who put the interview together.” 

Martin, who also directed episodes of the first two seasons of Netflix drama The Crown , said this was a new opportunity for him to invert the dynamic he was familiar with, by bringing an outsider in the person of McAlister through the gates of Buckingham Palace.  

Read More: Prince Andrew Faced Questions About Jeffrey Epstein for Years. Here’s Why the Royal Family Finally Reacted

Scoop begins in 2010, with British photojournalist Jae Donnelly (Connor Swindells) taking to the streets of New York City—camera gear in tow—hoping to capture a clear shot of Prince Andrew visiting Jeffrey Epstein at his Manhattan mansion. What ensues is a chase through Central Park that landed Donnelly the now-infamous shot of Andrew and Epstein walking together after Epstein’s release from jail in 2009 for soliciting prostitution from minors.

“If there wasn't the picture of Epstein and Andrew in the park, the story would have probably gone away,” says Martin. In the film, as in life, the image sets in motion a series of events that will unfold over the next decade. 

Nine years later, viewers are introduced to McAlister (Billie Piper), sunglasses-clad, with peroxide curls, and leopard print boots, arriving at BBC’s Central London headquarters. The BBC is facing its own challenges, with fresh layoffs across all shows. Editor Wren (Romola Garai) is trying to keep her team afloat by landing big stories in a competitive media landscape, as host and journalistic titan Maitlis (Gillian Anderson) jokingly asks if they all still have jobs.

McCalister has a no-nonsense approach to her role and colleagues, trying to book high-powered-guests, or in her words “the people we can’t just call up.” It is this guiding principle that leads McCalister to convert a low stakes email about a business event Andrew is hosting, into the interview that changed his life forever .

When we meet Andrew (Rufus Sewell), the teddy-bear loving royal is struggling to escape the stain to his reputation from his involvement with Epstein, which has come to overshadow any of his royal duties in the public consciousness. While viewers know the film’s crux is a damning interview, its plot provides a roadmap and the personal motivations that led each figure there. “What drama can do, as distinct from a documentary, or the original interview, is that it can put you into the emotional headspace of the characters,” Martin says.

Depicting real life figures

Piper’s transformation into McAlister is uncanny. “My boyfriend couldn't tell us apart,” McAlister tells TIME from her London home. “The meticulous detail that was put into the representation by the crew, but also by Billie herself, who generously spent a lot of time with me, and clearly worked hard to get my various intonations, my walk, everything about me.”

While McAlister was unknown to the British public, Maitlis and Andrew are instantly recognizable figures. With that in mind, Sewell used prosthetics to look like Andrew, but the key contours of his face were kept clear so his performance was not obstructed. Anderson took on Maitlis’ signature look with a blonde bob wig, contact lenses, and her distinct smokey-eyed makeup. 

Martin says there was a fine line between delivering on the aesthetics of well-known figures, without falling victim to parody. “If it's pure impersonation, then it just loses the spark of drama and the spark of realism,” he says.

The accusations against Prince Andrew

In 2015, Virginia Giuffre filed court papers alleging that Epstein and his girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, arranged sexual encounters for her with wealthy businessmen and high profile figures, including Prince Andrew when she was 17 years old.

Then named Virginia Roberts, she alleged she was forced to have sex with Andrew in Epstein’s New York mansion, in London, and on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands in 2001. However, mentions of Andrew were struck from the record when a U.S. federal judge said it was "immaterial and impertinent to the central claim."

In a sworn affidavit, Giuffre also alleged Maxwell worked as Epstein's procuress—allegations that led to Maxwell making defamatory statements about Giuffre. Giuffre sued Maxwell for defamation that same year, but the case was settled and its records sealed in 2017, with Maxwell paying Giuffre millions.

In 2019, the documents from the 2015 lawsuit were unsealed , and Giuffre's accusations against Andrew came to light. While Andrew has denied all allegations made against him, and since settled the case, the scandal continues to follow him. 

Epstein was rearrested on multiple charges in July 2019, and found dead in his New York City jail cell a month later. At the time, Prince Andrew released a statement saying he regrets his “ill-judged association” with Epstein, adding that “his suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure.” 

How Sam McAlister landed the interview

McAlister’s success as a television booker lies in her persistence and her ability to keep an eye on the bigger picture. In the film, she nurtures a relationship with Amanda Thirsk—Andrew’s flustered private secretary—who originally reached out to the BBC to arrange for a “puff piece” about Andrew’s charitable work. After a year of back and forth, when Andrew decided to speak publicly about Epstein, Thirsk already had a rapport with McAlister.  

But what is it about the real McAlister that led her to success? “I'm a bit of a maverick, she says. "I don't do deference. I don't play by the rules. I don't mean I play without integrity, but I'm not super interested in structures and hierarchies.“

McAlister says she was motivated by what was best for the program, and the country, and her tenacity set her apart from others who missed out on the story. She also says her socially mobile background, from growing up in public housing to becoming “resolutely” middle class, taught her to mix in different circles and learn Britain’s unspoken social cues. “My mum taught me to mix with Princes and paupers—she didn't mean it literally, but it ended up being that way.”   

What did Prince Andrew say in the BBC Newsnight interview?

In his explosive 50 minute interview, Prince Andrew made a number of outrageous statements to Maitlis. The Prince said he did not regret his relationship with Epstein, because it led him to meet people and have opportunities that were “very useful.” He defended his decision to stay at the sex offender’s New York home for several days in 2010, saying it was “a convenient place to stay.” He also said he had no recollection of meeting Giuffre. 

As the interview continues, Andrew’s responses shift from controversial to flat-out absurd. He told Maitlis that Giuffre’s account of him “sweating profusely” in a London nightclub was impossible, claiming he has a medical condition that prohibits him from sweating. He also disputed having a sexual encounter with Giuffre on March 10, 2001, because he distinctly remembered being in a British pizza franchise on that date. 

The legacy of the BBC Newsnight interview

Just days after the interview aired, when Andrew was met with waves of backlash, he announced that he was stepping back from public life. The broadcast was immediately dubbed a car crash, with critics calling it everything from memeable to tone deaf. “I don't think even the most optimistic person in the world could have expected the volume of interest,” says McAlister. “I knew what we had. I knew it was huge. I knew it was profound. And I knew it would have a massive effect on him and the people who had made allegations against Jeffrey Epstein.” 

Both McAlister and Martin say the interview serves as a reminder of the profound importance of journalism and the many overlooked employees that go into producing a story this big. “It's what journalism does, it holds the powerful and the privileged to account and, and it holds them up to scrutiny,” Martin says.  

McAlister adds that the film comes at a time where there is a reduction of media outlets carrying out storytelling in this way and investing in the big swings. As the film airs, she has since taken voluntary buyout from the BBC and is pursuing other endeavors. Wren now heads up Channel 4 News, and Maitlis co-hosts the popular podcast The News Agents. But for a moment, Scoop brings the three women back together. 

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The Irishman

An illustration of Frank Sheeran's life, from W.W.II veteran to hit-man for the Bufalino crime family and his alleged assassination of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa. An illustration of Frank Sheeran's life, from W.W.II veteran to hit-man for the Bufalino crime family and his alleged assassination of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa. An illustration of Frank Sheeran's life, from W.W.II veteran to hit-man for the Bufalino crime family and his alleged assassination of his close friend Jimmy Hoffa.

• Martin Scorsese
• Steven Zaillian
• Charles Brandt
• Robert De Niro
• 2.9K User reviews
• 463 Critic reviews
• 94 Metascore
• 73 wins & 357 nominations total

• Frank Sheeran

• Jimmy Hoffa

• Russell Bufalino

• Angelo Bruno

• Bill Bufalino

• Skinny Razor

• Older Peggy Sheeran

• Anthony 'Tony Pro' Provenzano

• Irene Sheeran

• Robert Kennedy …

• Carrie Bufalino

• Chuckie O'Brien

• Fat Tony Salerno

• Whispers DiTullio

• Frank 'Fitz' Fitzsimmons

• Older Dolores Sheeran

• Young Peggy Sheeran

• Assisted Living Priest
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia The house that appears at the beginning of the film is the same house that appears in Goodfellas (1990) .
• Goofs When the men are unloading the weapons from the US Army truck, two men can be seen carrying a box of rifles labeled "M-16" but the US Army didn't start getting M-16 rifles until 1964 which would have been three years after the Bay of Pigs Invasion that took place in 1961.

Jimmy Hoffa : Who's gonna be there?

Frank Sheeran : Everybody.

Jimmy Hoffa : Tony, Tony, Tony, Tony, and Tony, huh?

• Crazy credits Other than the Netflix logo and the film's original title (I Heard You Paint Houses), there are no opening credits for this movie.
• Connections Featured in The Oscars® Are Officially No Longer the Oscars® (2019)
• Soundtracks In the Still of the Night (I'll Remember) Written by Fred Parris Performed by The Five Satins Courtesy of RCA Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

User reviews 2.9K

• Nov 29, 2019

The Movies of Martin Scorsese

• How long is The Irishman? Powered by Alexa
• Will this film get a Blu-Ray/4K/DVD release along with the SVOD one? After all, how do they expect to make a profit out of this $160,000,000 film?
• Will this film contain record-setting profanity?
• Should I watch Goodfellas before I watch The Irishman?
• November 27, 2019 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Official Instagram
• I Heard You Paint Houses
• New York City, New York, USA
• Tribeca Productions
• Sikelia Productions
• Winkler Films
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $159,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 3 hours 29 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Digital

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Taylor Tomlinson

Comedian Taylor Tomlinson hosts After Midnight and is the only female late-night host currently on TV.

1993-present

Quick Facts

Comedy career: after midnight and more, ex-fiancé sam morril, who is taylor tomlinson.

Comedian Taylor Tomlinson is the host of the late-night show After Midnight . At 16, she took her first comedy class then began appearing in church comedy shows. By age 22, Tomlinson was performing stand-up regularly, and her once-straitlaced comedy had become edgier. After appearing on Last Comic Standing in 2015, she earned a spot on Conan with Conan O’Brien . Tomlinson made her stand-up debut on Netflix in 2018 during a 15-minute set on The Comedy Lineup and has since had three comedy specials on the streaming service. With After Midnight ’s January 2024 debut, Tomlinson is the only woman currently hosting a late-night program.

FULL NAME: Taylor Elyse Tomlinson BORN: November 4, 1993 BIRTHPLACE: Orange County, California ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Scorpio

Taylor Elyse Tomlinson was born on November 4, 1993, in Orange County, California, to parents Angela Tomlinson, a stay-at-home mom, and Eric Tomlinson, a teacher. Taylor has three younger siblings: Drea, Page, and Brinn. Her mom died of cancer when Taylor was just 8 years old. Her father later remarried.

Taylor grew up in Temecula, California, in a conservative Christian household. She realized early on that she had a gift for comedy. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal , Tomlinson shared: “My grandma recently told me I was unintentionally funny when I was little. Apparently I cracked up my family.”

Tomlinson took her first comedy class with family-friendly comedian Nazareth at age 16 and began doing comedy shows at churches. At Temecula Valley High School, she studied drama. Tomlinson graduated high school in 2011, then attended California Polytechnic State University for one semester before transferring to Palomar College. After three years of college, she decided to drop out. But her college days offered her the opportunity to perform stand-up more regularly. Bigger stages were soon calling.

Tomlinson’s religious upbringing shaped her early comedy. “For the first, like, six years—the first half of my career so far—I was squeaky clean,” she told E! News . But by age 22, Tomlinson had switched up her material to less church-friendly content that no longer felt authentic to her. She told E! News , “It was hard to get to that place and accept that not everybody was going to love that,” adding that she had to “get over my own internalized guilt and shame about not being, like, a good Christian. Not being Christian at all, really.”

After leaving college, she landed a gig on Last Comic Standing followed by an appearance on Conan , Conan O’Brien ’s late-night show on TBS, when she was 23. That led to a network development deal with ABC Studios for a sitcom, which never made it to air. In 2018, she debuted her comedy on Netflix during a 15-minute set on The Comedy Lineup, a stand-up comedy showcase series that had two seasons on the streaming platform.

Netflix Comedy Specials

To date, Tomlinson has released three comedy specials on Netflix. Her first, titled Quarter-Life Crisis , arrived in 2020. Next came Look At You , which premiered in 2022. Her second special was the first time Tomlinson publicly discussed her experience with bipolar disorder. “I had all this shame because when I was a kid, my parents were like, ‘You don’t get on medication. That’s weak. That’s not good for you,’” Tomlinson told E! News . “So I think I felt weak for needing that.”

Over the years, she has chosen to become more transparent about her bipolar disorder on stage. “I’m a personal comedian, and I talk about what’s going on in my life, and that’s what was going on in my life,” Tomlinson told People . “At first I was like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to share this.’ And then I’m on the road, and I’m like, ‘Nah, maybe I’ll just try one joke about it.’ And then that works, and you’re like, ‘Okay, well, I do have more to say about it.’”

Tomlinson’s newest special on the streaming platform is Have It All . It released in February 2024. Her current deal with Netflix includes a fourth show, though details about its scheduled release aren’t yet available.

After Midnight

At age 30, Tomlinson became the host of After Midnight on CBS in January 2024. The show is a reboot of Comedy Central’s show @midnight . She is one of the youngest hosts in late-night and currently the only woman hosting a late-night show. Previous female hosts include Joan Rivers , Chelsea Handler, Lilly Singh , Ziwe, Amber Ruffin, and Samantha Bee.

Tomlinson’s After Midnight replaced James Corden ’s The Late Late Show and follows The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the 12:37 a.m. spot.

“I could not have done [ After Midnight ] four years ago. Even three years ago,” she told Glamour . “What’s so interesting is when it came up, I was like, ‘Oh I think I’m at a place in my life where I actually could do that job, and I could do it well and I could enjoy it.’”

Tomlinson was previously engaged to comedian Sam Morril in 2020. Tomlinson told People she didn’t know who made the first move. “It just kind of happened. We just sort of became friends, and it was very organic,” she said. “He had sent me some nice messages about sets I had done on television, and I never got any ‘sliding into your DMs vibes’. Just very nice and respectful.”

However, the couple is no longer together. In her 2024 Netflix comedy special Have It All , she announced that she had been single for a year.

• When I was younger, I was so terrified that people hated me or thought this or that. And now I know, I really can’t control what anybody thinks, and if people don’t like me, I get that. I could argue that side. I feel the most empathetic I’ve ever felt at 30. I can kind of see everything from everyone’s perspective.
• I’ve gotten to a place in my career that I thought I might get to by the time I was 40. I’ve been really, really lucky.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us !

Emily Shiffer has worked as a writer for over 10 years, covering everything from health and wellness to entertainment and celebrities. She previously was on staff at SUCCESS , Men's Health , and Prevention magazines. Her freelance writing has been featured in Women's Health , Runner's World , PEOPLE , and more. Emily is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she majored in magazine journalism at the Medill School of Journalism and minored in musicology. Currently residing in Charleston, South Carolina, Emily enjoys instructing barre, surfing, and long walks on the beach with her miniature Dachshund, Gertrude.

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‘The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem’ Review: A Netflix Doc Smartly Tells an Internet Hate Story: When 4Chan Met QAnon

4Chan was like the original TikTok, and it spawned QAnon as a goof. What ruled it all was the lust for eyeballs.

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But no. Ironically, the genesis of QAnon is the lightest and most amusing part of “The Antisocial Network.” That’s not because QAnon itself has been anything less than disastrous in the wreckage it has caused this country. Of all the things that account for the stubborn popularity of Donald Trump, the fact that so many of his supporters are QAnon heads, believers in the idea that they’re fighting a Satanic cult of pedophiles who have the support and protection of the Democratic Party, is no minor factor. There have been good documentaries that trace the QAnon phenomenon (like “After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News,” in which we got to see dash-cam footage of Edgar Maddison Welch, the assault-rifle-toting Pizzagate “avenger,” on the way to his mission), and the baroque paranoid beliefs of QAnon followers have been amply chronicled.

One of the things that lent Q credibility is that he would tweet out a message, and 10 minutes later it would be echoed in a Trump tweet. How could that happen? The documentary reveals how: The Q tweet was actually done after the Trump tweet, and simply mimicked it — but the timecode on the tweet was altered, to make it look like Trump was taking his cues from Q. That’s called basic deepfake Internet flimflam. But it worked. It fooled people. The 4Chan programmers got their viral sensation and their jollies.  

What no one in their right mind could have predicted is that huge swaths of the country would start to take this stuff more seriously than a report in The New York Times. That they did was, on some level, a bad joke, even if it’s now a joke that threatens to trash America. QAnon is a cult, but part of the freakish nature of it is that it’s a cult that came into being by accident. There was no mastermind at its center; Q barked out his pronouncements, but was no more real than the Wizard of Oz. That’s what makes QAnon the pyramid scheme of conspiracy theories: a sinister “plot” that consists of nothing so much as each and every one of its followers holding up his or her small sliver of the belief system. QAnon’s virality is its only reality.

So how did we get here? “The Antisocial Network” traces how 4Chan, over the last 20 years, pioneered an online universe where outrageous satires, “Jackass” stunts, and a free-floating impotent political rage could fuse into an “outlaw” stance of permanent rebellion. The site’s model was 2Chan, the Japanese site of the early 2000s that most Japanese citizens accessed on their cell phones, which didn’t have much bandwidth. That was part of what gave rise to the emoji, and to the idea of a bulletin board grounded in anonymity.

A user named “moot” downloaded a copy of 2Chan’s software and, in October 2003, launched an English version called 4Chan. It was jammed with cartoons, videos, and what would come to be known as memes. A point I’m surprised the documentary doesn’t make is that it was, in essence, the early version of TikTok. It was catchy, extreme, blasphemous, at times reactionary stuff, driven by a Darwinian spirit: The most outlandish posts got the most clicks. The first official 4Chan panel took place in 2005 at Otakon, an anime convention in Baltimore, and it was there that “moot” made his public debut. He turned out to be a grinning kid named Christopher Poole who looked like Matt Damon at 15. From the start, he had a Zuckerbergian aura. He wanted 4Chan to be the Facebook of bro anarchy.

The trouble is, it’s tricky to be caring one day and making jokes about AIDS the next. Everything 4Chan did was ultimately for show, and its representatives who appear in the movie, like the placid hippie Fuxnet or the angry Kitaner, have some regrets but aren’t exactly fountains of self-awareness. They seem to have no idea that one of the worst things they did was to help transform “activism” into a form of virtue-signaling.

I’m not entirely sure the documentary understands that either. Yet as directed by Giorgio Angelini and Arthur Jones, with plenty of virtual image-blitz montages, “The Antisocial Network” is a lively lesson in digital history, one that leaves you with the disquieting feeling that some of the most influential outgrowths of Internet culture, like QAnon, were essentially flukes. On the other hand, maybe there was a perverse design to it. The hackers and programmers of 4Chan were out for kicks. They wanted eyeballs and would do anything to get them. QAnon brainwashed the nation, but in its way it was the fulfillment of that dream. It got America addicted to demented conspiracy theory because demented conspiracy theory is more entertaining than reality.

Reviewed online, April 4, 2024. In SXSW. Running time: 85 MIN.

• Production: (Documentary) A Netflix release of a Boardwalk Pictures production. Producers: Giorgio Angelini, Andrew Fried, Arthur Jones, Dane Lillegard, Jordan Wynn. Executive producer: Ariane Wu.
• Crew: Directors: Giorgio Angelini, Arthur Jones. Camera: Alexander Paul. Editors: Arthur Jones, Drew Blatman, Devin Concannon, David Osit. Music: Martin Crane.
• With: Fuxnet, Amanda, Kirtaner, Matt Alt, W.T. Snacks, Dale Beran.

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The Bizarre Chinese Murder Plot Behind Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’

Lin Qi, a billionaire who helped produce the science-fiction hit, was poisoned to death by a disgruntled executive. His attacker now faces the death penalty.

By David Pierson

Lin Qi was a billionaire with a dream. The video game tycoon had wanted to turn one of China’s most famous science-fiction novels, “The Three-Body Problem,” into a global hit. He had started working with Netflix and the creators of the HBO series “Game of Thrones” to bring the alien invasion saga to international audiences.

But Mr. Lin did not live to see “ 3 Body Problem ” premiere on Netflix last month, drawing millions of viewers.

He was poisoned to death in Shanghai in 2020, at age 39, by a disgruntled colleague, in a killing that riveted the country’s tech and video-gaming circles where he had been a prominent rising star. That colleague, Xu Yao, a 43-year-old former executive in Mr. Lin’s company, was last month sentenced to death for murder by a court in Shanghai, which called his actions “extremely despicable.”

The court has made few specific details public, but Mr. Lin’s killing was, as a Chinese news outlet put it, “as bizarre as a Hollywood blockbuster.” Chinese media reports, citing sources in his company and court documents, have described a tale of deadly corporate ambition and rivalry with a macabre edge. Sidelined at work, Mr. Xu reportedly exacted vengeance with meticulous planning, including by testing poisons on small animals in a makeshift lab. (He not only killed Mr. Lin, but also poisoned his own replacement.)

Mr. Lin had spent millions of dollars in 2014 buying up copyrights and licenses connected to the original Chinese science-fiction book, “The Three-Body Problem,” and two others in a trilogy written by the Chinese author Liu Cixin. “The Three-Body Problem” tells the story of an engineer, called upon by the Chinese authorities to look into a spate of suicides by scientists, who discovers an extraterrestrial plot. Mr. Lin had wanted to build a franchise of global television shows and films akin to “Star Wars” and centered on the novels.

Mr. Lin would eventually link up with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the creators of the television series “Game of Thrones,” to work on the Netflix project. Mr. Lin’s gaming company, Youzu Interactive, which goes by Yoozoo in English, is no stranger to the HBO hit; its best-known release is an online strategy game based on the show called “Game of Thrones: Winter Is Coming.”

Mr. Lin’s fate would change when he hired Mr. Xu, a lawyer, in 2017 to head a subsidiary of Yoozoo called The Three-Body Universe that held the rights to Mr. Liu’s novels. But not long afterward, Mr. Xu was demoted and his pay was cut, apparently because of poor performance. He became furious, according to the Chinese business magazine Caixin.

As Mr. Xu plotted his revenge, Caixin reported, he built a lab in an outlying district of Shanghai where he experimented with hundreds of poisons he bought off the dark web by testing them on dogs and cats and other pets. Caixin said Mr. Xu was both fascinated and inspired by the American hit TV series “Breaking Bad,” about a cancer-stricken chemistry teacher who teaches himself to make and sell methamphetamine, eventually becoming a drug lord.

Between September and December 2020, Mr. Xu began spiking beverages such as coffee, whiskey and drinking water with methylmercury chloride and bringing them into the office, Caixin reported, citing court documents. The report’s details could not be independently confirmed.

Calls to Yoozoo and the Shanghai court went unanswered. Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“The plot is as bizarre as a Hollywood blockbuster, and the technique is professional enough to be called the Chinese version of ‘Breaking Bad,’” Phoenix News, a Chinese news outlet, said last month.

According to a story by The Hollywood Reporter in January, Mr. Benioff said the killing was “certainly disconcerting.” “When you work in this business, you’re expecting all sorts of issues to arise. Somebody poisoning the boss is not generally one of them,” he was quoted as saying.

Police arrested Mr. Xu on Dec. 18, 2020, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court said on its official WeChat account as it announced the verdict and sentencing. Mr. Xu reportedly declined to confess to the crime and did not disclose what poison he had used, complicating doctors’ efforts to save Mr. Lin’s life.

The court said that Mr. Xu had plotted to poison Mr. Lin and four other people over an office dispute. Its post included a picture of a bespectacled Mr. Xu in the courtroom wearing an oversized beige cardigan surrounded by three police officers. The statement said more than 50 people, including members of Mr. Xu’s and Mr. Lin’s family, attended the sentencing.

The Three-Body Universe, the Yoozoo subsidiary, did not respond to a request for comment, but its chief executive, Zhao Jilong, posted on his WeChat account, “Justice has been served,” according to Chinese state media.

Before his untimely death, Mr. Lin was something of a celebrity in the world of young Chinese entrepreneurs. He had built his fortune in the early 2010s, riding a wave of popularity for mobile games. His bid to popularize Mr. Liu’s novels was a rare attempt to export Chinese popular culture — something that has eluded China as its government yearns to wield the same soft power the United States commands with its movies, music and sports stars.

Six years after “The Three-Body Problem” was first published in 2008, an English version translated by Ken Liu was released to widespread acclaim. The book won the Hugo Award, a major science-fiction prize, for best novel. It counted Barack Obama and Mark Zuckerberg among its fans.

While Netflix is not available in China, “3 Body Problem” has still set off a backlash among Chinese viewers who have been able to access the platform by using virtual private networks, or who have seen pirated versions of the show. Users on Chinese social media expressed anger that the Netflix adaptation Westernized aspects of the story, and said the show sought to demonize some of the Chinese characters.

Even the People’s Liberation Army’s propaganda wing has weighed in on the series. In an editorial published on Saturday on its website, China Military Online, it called the Netflix series an example of American “cultural hegemony.”

“It can be clearly seen that after the United States seized this popular intellectual property with its superpower strength, it wanted to transform and remake it,” the editorial said. “The purpose was to eliminate as much as possible the reputation of modern China.”

Li You contributed research.

David Pierson covers Chinese foreign policy and China’s economic and cultural engagement with the world. He has been a journalist for more than two decades. More about David Pierson