Oprah Winfrey has officially pumped the brakes on a documentary about her life that was set to stream online. But fans want to know why.
Apparently, the billionaire actress and former talk show host spent a “fortune” to make sure the docuseries never sees the light of day after clashing with Oscar-winning filmmaker and director Kevin Macdonald over the biographical project.
According to Page Six, a representative for the 70-year-old media mogul confirmed she paid to have the documentary shelved after her content deal with Apple ended in September 2022.
“As the Apple TV+ deal was coming to an end, Ms. Winfrey bought back the rights to her docuseries and has since decided to put the doc on hold,” a spokesperson for Oprah told Page Six.
In addition, another source said, “Kevin made the film, but Oprah didn’t like it and he refused to change it, and Oprah has paid back her fee to Apple.”
While speculation suggested McDonald refused to follow through on edit requests by Winfrey, the television personality’s team denied those claims. Oprah’s camp insisted to Page Six, “it wasn’t the right time to do a documentary.”
Amid speculation that Winfrey spent “millions” for the rights to the documentary. However, Team Oprah pushed back on the idea that the deal was worth seven figures.
Deadline originally reported about Apple TV+’s Oprah Winfrey documentary in January 2021. MacDonald partnered with Emmy-nominated producer Lisa Erspamer for the now-scrapped biodoc that was planned to be presented in two parts.
They previously worked together on the “Whitney” documentary film that premiered in U.S. theaters in July 2018.
Internet users reacted to news that the documentary was being put on ice. Many questioned if Winfrey was worried some damaging information was set to become public.
“Well now, isn’t this sketchy!” one person wrote in Page Six’s comment section. Another individual asked, “What is she afraid of or hiding?”
Similar takes showed up on X. For example, in reaction to an article covering the doc’s cancelation, a self-described Donald Trump supporter tweeted, “What is Oprah hiding?”
Another X account posted, “Oprah Winfrey shelled out a fortune to prevent a documentary release, sounds legit… money talks right… not the truth.”
Winfrey has been a target of conservatives during the 2024 presidential campaign. The Tennessee State University graduate endorsed Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, earning the wrath of Donald Trump’s MAGA legion.
Following her surprise appearance at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Aug., Winfrey faced backlash from Trump’s supporters over claims of abuse connected to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.
Winfrey apologized to the parents of students who accused a Leadership Academy employee of molestation in 2007. Tiny Makopo, a dorm matron at the school, was acquitted of all 14 charges related to the abuse allegations.
Winfrey’s announcement that she would host the “Unite for America” virtual rally in support of Harris sparked right-wing outrage as well.
Critics relentlessly badgered the “Beloved” star over alleged “missing girls” despite no evidence substantiating students at the Leadership Academy have gone missing.
Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi. After graduating college and working in the journalism industry, she became a household name by hosting the popular “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from September 1986 to May 2011.
The so-called “Queen of All Media” went on to build an empire worth $3 billion. Winfrey scored an Academy Award nomination for the role in 1985’s “The Color Purple” movie. She is also a two-time Emmy Award winner.
