Martha Stewart slams Netflix movie portraying her as a lonely elderly woman

Martha Stewart, the renowned businesswoman and TV personality, has expressed her dissatisfaction with a recently released documentary that delves into her life and work. The documentary, titled Martha and directed by RJ Cutler, premiered on Netflix and features extensive interviews with Stewart.

In an interview with The New York Times, Stewart criticized the documentary, stating that while Cutler had full access to her archive, he used very little of it, which she found shocking. She specifically took issue with the closing scenes of the film, where she felt misrepresented as a lonely old lady walking hunched over in the garden. Stewart revealed that she had ruptured her Achilles tendon and undergone a challenging operation, which was not adequately explained in the film.

RJ Cutler, known for his biographical studies of various personalities, including Billie Eilish and Elton John, stood by his work on Martha despite Stewart’s criticisms. The director incorporated elements that Stewart disagreed with, such as the choice of music and cinematography, leading to further disagreements between them during the production.

Stewart also felt that the documentary focused excessively on her 2004 trial and subsequent conviction on felony charges related to stock trading, which she considered less significant in the context of her long life. Despite her reservations, Stewart acknowledged positive feedback from young female viewers who found inspiration in her story of resilience and strength.

Cutler responded to Stewart’s critiques by expressing pride in the film and commending Stewart for her courage in allowing him to create it. He acknowledged the challenges Stewart may face in seeing certain aspects of the documentary from her perspective.

This situation echoes a similar incident involving singer Alanis Morissette, who disowned a documentary about her life titled Jagged, citing a breach of trust by the director, Alison Klayman. Morissette expressed disappointment in the final product, claiming it did not align with the story she had agreed to tell.

In conclusion, Martha Stewart’s candid remarks about the documentary shed light on the complexities of sharing one’s life story on screen and the challenges of maintaining authenticity and accuracy in biographical portrayals.