Alex Yousefzadeh Weighs in on Legal and Ethical Considerations Surrounding the Dramatized Fiction Genre in USA Today
Alex Yousefzadeh recently offered a legal perspective on FX’s trending TV show “Love Story,” in the USA Today article “From ‘Love Story’ to ‘Dahmer,’ can Ryan Murphy keep rewriting the past?” The show, executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, provides a fictional depiction of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s relationship and features prominent public figures in the couple’s lives, including Daryl Hannah. Following the release of the series, Hannah published an op-ed in The New York Times, vocalizing her frustrations with the creative liberties taken in her portrayal.
In the article, Alex provides clarification on the legal rights of “based on a true story” productions and the creative leeway afforded to Murphy and other filmmakers. He tells USA Today, “The creator has the right to invent characters and dramatize and fictionalize certain elements of the story.” He adds that filmmakers “can legally create composite characters based on actual people, timelines may be rearranged and events can be reimagined.”
Beyond legal standards, many filmmakers must also be cognizant of the ethical ramifications of fictionalization. Alex shares with USA Today, “From an ethical lens, most people would agree that harming or retraumatizing survivors of any crime is wrong and unacceptable.” He goes on to state, “A producer should always be mindful of how to respectfully tell a story based on facts, and the ethical implications of involving survivors should certainly be a part of the calculus.”