EXCLUSIVE: Vanessa Williams’ personal story about the scandal that forced her to resign the Miss America crown in 1984 is in the works for the small screen.
Sony Pictures Television has optioned the rights to her story to develop as a limited series, with veteran Neil Meron executive producing.Williams made history in 1983 by becoming the first Black woman to be crowned Miss America.
Weeks before completing her reign, she was forced to resign her title under pressure from the organization when controversy ensued after nude photos of her taken prior to her Miss America win were published without her consent in Penthouse Magazine.Faced with adversary at the very start of her career, Williams was able to overcome the scandal and become an award-winning actor and singer in one of entertainment industry’s most remarkable comeback stories.Zadan/Meron Productions’ Meron and Mark Nicholson will executive produce with Stephen Roseberry and Jon Carrasco of Encore Endeavor 1 (EE1), a wholly-owned subsidiary of kathy ireland Worldwide.
Top Hollywood attorney Martin Singer, who has repped Williams for many years and was instrumental in making this project come together, will also serve as executive producer with Steve Glick, EVP of Content and Broadcasting for EE1, serving as producer.
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