Photos: Jessica Lange, Michael Cristofer, & More at THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL Screening

On Friday, November 1, Academy Award®, Emmy® winner, and Tony Award® winner Jessica Lange (Lillian Hall, Executive Producer), and Michael Cristofer (Director, Executive Producer) reunited in front of a packed house at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles for a screening of HBO’s THE GREAT LILLIAN HALL. 

The film follows Broadway star Lillian Hall (Lange) as she pours her heart, soul, and time into preparing for her next big role. In the midst of this, she finds herself blindsided by confusion and forgetfulness. 

Following the screening, Variety’s Jenelle Riley moderated a discussion between Lange and Cristofer. Riley began the panel by calling the film “a love letter to theater” and then took a look back at Cristofer and Lange's careers. Cristofer shared that his first acting job was in 1969, while Lange noted her debut was in King Kong.

Cristofer emphasized that this film was more than just a story about dementia; it was about “swinging for the bleachers in the face of your own mortality.” Lange expressed her passion for films centered around theater, stating that playing Lillian Hall provided her an “opportunity to go beyond,” making it difficult to refuse the role.

When Riley asked Lange what piques her interest in a script, she humorously replied, “usually it’s that I need to work,” which elicited laughter from the audience. Cristofer joked that she had to read this script because “he was standing over her shoulder.”

Riley acknowledged the impressive ensemble cast, to which Lange highlighted her long-standing friendship with Kathy Bates, mentioning that they had been friends long before American Horror Story. She also praised Lily Rabe, saying she “elevates the entire project” and that working with her felt effortless. Cristofer added that there was something special about each cast member, describing them as “a gift.” Lange wrapped up the discussion by teasing the audience about a new project he and Jessica are collaborating on.

Photo CreditL FilmMagic/FilmMagic for HBO

To post a comment, you must register and login.