Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore Both Play Gloira Steinem in a New Biopic
For everyone that loved Mrs. America, the Hulu show about the 1970s women's rights movement—you're in luck. Gloria Steinem's story will be fictionalized once again, though this time as a feature film.
The Glorias will depict Steinem's life thus far, from her early years spent in India to her key role in the women's liberation movement and beyond. Based on Steinem’s own memoir My Life on the Road, the film's unifying backdrop will be "a lonely bus on an open highway."
Keep reading for all of the details on the upcoming historic biopic.
Alicia Vikander and Julianne Moore both play Gloria Steinem.
The A-list actresses are just two of the four Gloria Steinems featured throughout the movie, at different stages in the feminist's life. Vikander plays Steinem in her early adulthood, during the founding of Ms. magazine, while Moore takes over the role as Steinem ages and leans into her already burgeoning activism.
Two young actresses portray Steinem in her developmental years, with nine-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong showcasing Steinem's childhood in 1940s Ohio; Lulu Wilson plays the icon as a teenager.
Janelle Monáe, Bette Midler, and more all-star actors round out the picture.
While Steinem was a trailblazer, she clearly didn't work alone. Lucky for viewers, as the movie builds upon Vikander and Moore with a star-studded supporting cast. It's hard to count the number of important feminists portrayed in this film, but namely, the movie includes Bette Midler as women's rights lawyer, Bella Abzug and Janelle Monáe as Ms. magazine co-founder and child welfare advocate, Dorothy Pitman Hughes. Also included are Lorraine Toussaint as Florynce Kennedy, Monica Sanchez as Dolores Huerta, and Kimberly Guerrero as Wilma Mankiller. Additionally, Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton will play Leo Steinem, Gloria's father.
Behind-the-scenes is Julie Taymor, who directed and co-wrote the feature. Taymor is best known for directing The Lion King for Broadway and the 2007 feature, Across the Universe. Playwright Sarah Ruhl wrote alongside Taymor.
“I felt the cinematic possibilities of exposing and opening up the Glorias that made the woman that most people think they know but don’t,” Taymor told Deadline in February.
The movie is available on Amazon Prime now.
The Glorias first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, and was aiming for a September 25 theatrical release. However, due to COVID-19, the film will now go straight to streaming.
“The message of Gloria’s life and activism and spirit speak so strongly to the current moment, and we collectively decided to pivot from a theatrical release to this new, digital plan to give the film its widest audience, right away,” said production company Roadside Attractions' co-presidents Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff.
The movie will stream exclusively through Amazon Prime starting September 30. It will also be available for purchase on electronic sell-through platforms, like iTunes.
Read Steinem's book.
The film was based on Steinem's memoir, My Life on the Road. Compare and contrast by reading the book, too.
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