Bette Midler to star as Mae West in new HBO biopic
By Sam Rigby
Bette Midler
will star as Hollywood great Mae West in a new HBO biopic.
According to Deadline, the Beaches actress is attached to the project as star and executive producer.
The biopic, titled Mae West, is based on the late star’s autobiography Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It, which chronicles her rise to fame after writing and starring in her scandalous Broadway show Sex.
West took New York by storm when Sex opened on Broadway in 1926, and went on to write and star in more of her own risqué productions.
She fought obscenity charges after the opening of Sex and spent 10 days in prison for “corrupting morals of youth”.
The biopic was devised by William Friedkin (The Exorcist), who will direct and co-executive produce alongside Midler and Jerry Weintraub. Meanwhile, Harvey Fierstein is penning the script for Mae West after recently writing the book for Tony-winning musical Kinky Boots.