Here’s a biopic that might actually work.
Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”) is in talks to join Aubrey Plaza in “The Heidi Fleiss Story,” a “darkly comedic” biopic about the infamous “Hollywood Madam” (via Deadline).
Set in Los Angeles, 1993, the story follows Fleiss (Plaza) as she navigates the fallout from her arrest for running the world’s most notorious high-end prostitution ring. Haim is set to play Jacolyn, an ambitious writer determined to document Fleiss’s rise and fall, who finds herself swept up in Heidi’s chaotic attempts to manipulate, blackmail, and leverage every connection she can to get the charges dropped.
The film marks the feature directorial debut of Leah Rachel, who co-wrote the script with Travis Jackson and Rachel Sennott (!). Production is slated to begin in L.A. early next year.
Fleiss was a notorious figure in early-1990s Hollywood — famously dubbed the “Hollywood Madam.” She ran a high-end prostitution ring that catered to wealthy and powerful clients, including industry executives, celebrities, and businessmen. It became one of the most lucrative and exclusive escort services in the world.
Her downfall came in 1993, when she was arrested on charges of pandering, money laundering, and tax evasion after a highly publicized LAPD sting operation. The ensuing trial turned into a media circus, with rumors swirling about her famous client list — though she never publicly named names.
If you want a sort of “definitive” take on the Fleiss story then check out Nick Broomfield’s “Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam,” which really digs into the shadowy world of L.A.’s sex industry, interviewing Fleiss, her former mentor “Madam Alex,” and law enforcement figures connected to the case.