Not So Pretty Documentary

[Venice]

WhenHBO released Not So Pretty on April 14, it was seen as a reignition of the clean cosmetics debate. Back in 2020, BeautyMatter founder Kelly Kovack spoke with Phyllis Ellis, director of the Toxic Beauty documentary about her deep dive into the Johnson & Johnson baby powder class-action lawsuit that linked the use of their talc powder to ovarian cancer. This case is also mentioned in Not So Pretty, which dedicates each episode of the four-part series to a sole product category: makeup, hair care, nail salon, and skincare. BeautyMatter summarized the episode content as below:

Viewers were encouraged to use apps such as Detox Me, Skin Deep, and Clearya to ensure product safety, as well as encourage their Members of Congress to vote for the Safer Beauty Bill Package, a combination of four separate bills that would ban 11 chemicals including phthalates, parabens, mercury, formaldehyde, and Per- or poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) (as has already been done in the EU, California, and Maryland), require the complete disclosure of flavor and fragrance ingredients, campaign for the health of women of color and salon workers, and advocate for supply chain transparency. The Crown Act, which is rallying against race-based hair discrimination, was also mentioned as important legislation to support. As of the latest figures, #notsopretty has over 19.6 million posts on TikTok.

Watching the individual cases of people who developed devastating side effects from using beauty products in Not So Pretty is undoubtedly a hard-hitting experience. When the only (seemingly) uniting factor among hundreds of consumers, regardless of age or background, is the use of a single product, as was the case with Johnson & Johnson and DevaCurl, can there be any other explanation?

As another example, parabens have been largely avoided amongst consumers and the industry due to their potential link to endocrine disruption and cancers. But not all classes of parabens were problematic: methylparaben for example, was not banned. Isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, phenylparaben, benzylparaben, and pentylparaben were. Furthermore, parabens are also found naturally in certain fruits like blueberries, and are used as a preservative in foods such as confectionaries and dried meats. If one forgoes preservatives altogether, the product can expire far too quickly (resulting in excess waste) or grow mold and bacteria, which is far more damaging to health.

On the subject of cost, affluence and access rarely gets discussed in the context of sustainable and clean cosmetics. On average, most products created without preservatives and other disputed ingredients are in the mid to high-end price range. Will someone struggling to make ends meet be able to pay double the price to avoid certain ingredients? Probably not. Can the brands lower their prices to accommodate these consumers while also avoiding a profit loss? Unlikely. Race is also an undeniable factor in the universe of hazardous cosmetics.

"Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields" garnered ABC News its first-ever Primetime Emmy Award nominations with two nods in nonfiction program categories, including Outstanding Directing for a Documentary for Lana Wilson and Outstanding Picture Editing. The documentary is a galvanizing look at actor, model and icon Brooke Shields as she transforms from a sexualized young girl to a woman discovering her power. Holding a mirror up to a society that objectifies women and girls, her story shows the perils and triumphs of gaining agency in a hostile world. The film received two awards at the LA Press Club Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards, including the honor for Personality Profile, a nomination from the Critics Choice Documentary Awards and two for the upcoming Cinema Eye Honors Award in the Best Broadcast Film and Best Broadcast Film Editing categories.

"Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields" follows Shields through her extraordinary childhood and complex relationship with her mother and manager, Teri Shields. Brooke Shields' professional career began at only 11 months old, working as a child model before starring in Louis Malle's controversial film "Pretty Baby" at the age of 12. She became the face of the '80s with Calvin Klein jeans ads and leading roles in "The Blue Lagoon" and "Endless Love," navigating the unrelenting scrutiny of the press and a culture that wanted to commodify her. After defying stereotypes by putting her career on hold to go to college, Shields reentered the entertainment industry as an adult, but it wasn't until she began to trust herself and her instincts that she was able to find her identity and voice.

"Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields" is produced by Boat Rocker's Matador Content and BedBy8 for ABC News Studios. Christine O'Malley and Jack Turner serve as producers. Matador Content's Jay Peterson and Todd Lubin and Bedby8's Ali Wentworth, George Stephanopoulos and Alyssa Mastromonaco are executive producers. Jacqueline Glover and Jennifer Joseph serve as executive producers for ABC News Studios. Lana Wilson is director and executive producer. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.

ABOUT ABC NEWS STUDIOS: ABC News Studios, inspired by ABC News' trusted reporting, is a premium, narrative nonfiction original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture and news-adjacent stories.

ABOUT MATADOR CONTENT: Matador Content (a Boat Rocker Company) is a full-service, award-winning content company based in New York City and Los Angeles. Founded in 2014, the company was acquired by Boat Rocker in 2018 and has produced content for leading television and streaming platforms including Netflix, Apple TV+, Peacock, Disney Channel, HBO, Lifetime, History, Disney+, Hulu, ROKU, TBS and the Discovery Channel. Matador's output includes "Billie Eilish: The World's A Little Blurry" (Apple TV+) and the upcoming "Drag Me To Dinner" (Hulu), starring Neil Patrick Harris. Matador is producing a number of upcoming documentaries, including a political thriller from acclaimed filmmakers Jesse Moss and Tony Gerber, in addition to "B.S. High: The Bishop Sycamore Story" (HBO). For more information, please visit www.matadorcontent.com.

ABOUT BEDBY8: BedBy8 focuses on scripted television projects, limited series, and documentaries. Founded by Ali Wentworth, George Stephanopoulos and partner Alyssa Mastromonaco, the company brings compelling stories to life that are integral to the time we are in.

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