3 episodes
People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia Wondery
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- TV & Film
Twenty-five years ago, HIV/AIDS was a death sentence. And people living with HIV were shunned. It was as if the world didn’t care. Then, against all odds, filmmaker Jonathan Demme and stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington created the first mainstream Hollywood film about HIV/AIDS and homophobia, the first to give the disease a face and reveal the humanity of those who live with it. PEOPLE LIKE US: INSIDE PHILADELPHIA tells the story behind the story - how this remarkable movie got made and how it changed everyone who has ever seen it.
In the 25 years since Philadelphia was released, we've made great progress in the fight against AIDS, but there is still work to do. Join Coca-Cola and (RED) to help end AIDS once and for all. Visit red.org/cocacola to learn more and donate today.
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2 | Too Crowded with Angels
Nearly sixty people living with AIDS were cast in PHILADELPHIA. Today, they’re all gone - all but one. We hear her story and discover what her life is like today. A key actor in PHILADELPHIA has AIDS and may not make it through the film. Will Jonathan Demme have to replace him? Tom Hanks drops 30 pounds to play the role of the dying attorney - and Denzel Washington tempts him with candy bars. The cast and crew of PHILADELPHIA bring Christmas to a an entire family - parents and children - with AIDS. PHILADELPHIA is released, becomes a surprise hit, and leads to an Oscar for Tom Hanks. But much harder than making a hit is making a difference: Hear how PHILADELPHIA made that difference and changed us all.
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1 | Make It Matter
It was the cover of LIFE magazine: “Now no one is safe from AIDS.” Superstar Rock Hudson is already dead and everyone in Hollywood has lost someone to the dreaded disease. Filmmaker Jonathan Demme and screenwriter Ron Nyswaner want to make a difference the only way they know how: By making a movie. But a movie about a gay corporate lawyer who develops AIDS and is fired because of it? Who will pay to see this? What studio would dare make it? And will any star want to be in it?
The pieces come together as Demme and Nyswaner lose friends and relatives to AIDS. A studio feels a duty to champion PHILADELPHIA, dozens of people living with AIDS participate in key scenes, and two of the biggest stars in the world - Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington - sign on to play risky roles that could break their careers.
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Introducing People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia
In 1993, Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for his role as Andrew Beckett in the film Philadelphia. This award represented more than just a stellar acting performance. Tom Hanks and the creators, cast, and crew of Philadelphia succeeded in bringing AIDS awareness to the mainstream. They sparked conversation about the disease, and helped to shift the cultural perception of HIV/AIDS from fear to compassion.
In People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia, we’ll get a special look inside the making of this groundbreaking film that starred Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks, and the impact it has had around the world.
To celebrate the progress we have made in the fight against AIDS since Philadelphia’s release, and to join Coca-Cola and (RED) in continuing efforts to deliver an AIDS-free generation, head to wondery.fm/RED.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.