Monica Lewinsky says she requested the infamous scene where she flashed her thong to then-President Bill Clinton be added to the upcoming series about their affair, “Impeachment: American Crime Story.”
Lewinsky, 48, was a producer on the show and said the writers initially left the scene out.I would’ve loved to have been really selfish and said, ‘That’s great that you guys think we don’t have to show that, fantastic,’ but I’m incredibly experienced in understanding how people see this story,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.
Lewinsky noted that, just or not, she would have been blamed if the scene wasn’t included.
“So, ultimately, I felt two things: One was that I shouldn’t get a pass because I’m a producer,” she told THR. “And two, that it was unfair to the team and to the project because it would leave everybody vulnerable.”
Lead writer Sarah Burgess said she left the scene out because she didn’t want to further traumatize Lewinsky, THR reported.
“American Crime Story” showrunners first planned a Clinton/Lewinsky-based season in 2016, with Lewinsky joining the project in 2019. Showrunner Ryan Murphy told THR that he wouldn’t have pushed forward without Lewinsky’s approval.
Beanie Feldstein will star as Lewinsky, and the two talked constantly as production started and stopped throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, THR reported. No other people, including the Clintons, were consulted on their portrayal in the show, which premieres Sept. 7 on FX.
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