DeGeneres, Stone climb HBO 'Walls'
Trilogy focuses on lesbian experience
While HBO has been hot on the project (Daily Variety, April 13), the cabler officially greenlit production on the movie Thursday.
The trilogy will be executive produced by Suzanne Todd (the exec producer of HBO's original "If These Walls Could Talk") and Jennifer Todd, along with DeGeneres.
'Walls' a ratings winner
The first "Walls," which premiered on HBO in October 1996, bagged the highest rating ever for an original HBO movie. The film's first installment hit an 18.7 rating/25 share in HBO homes, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Other talent signed up for "Walls 2" includes Anne Heche, who starred in the original "Walls" as a writer and director; Jane Anderson, writer and director; Sylvia Sichel, director; and Alex Sichel, writer.
Though "Walls 2" will begin shooting May 28 in Los Angeles, the project will be overseen by HBO's NYC veep Kerith Putnam.
Stone and DeGeneres will appear in one of the three stories of "Walls 2." Entitled "Miss Conception," this segment will take a humorous look at a modern day lesbian couple's experience conceiving a child. Heche will write and direct this story.
The other two segments have yet to be cast. Written by the sister team of Sylvia and Alex Sichel, "Women Only" will be set against the emerging women's movement.
The third segment, "The Widow," will concern an older woman in the early 1960s who loses her lifelong companion and learns that their bond was not recognized by her family or society. Anderson will write and direct.
