Emily Maitlis has addressed the highly-anticipated Netflix film Scoop ahead of her own project about her infamous Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew being released.
Scoop was released by the streaming platform on Friday. The film, which has been “inspired by real events” but is described as a “fictional dramatisation,” goes behind the scenes of the interview that aired on the BBC show in 2019.
It stars Gillian Anderson, 55, as journalist Emily, 53, whilst Rufus Sewell, 56, plays Prince Andrew, 64. The cast also includes Billie Piper, 41, as producer Sam McAlister, who’s credited with having secured the interview and who wrote the book Scoops, which the film is said to be based on.
Emily, who’s working on a three-part series about the same interview for Amazon, spoke about Netflix’s new film with Deadline recently. She told the outlet that she hasn’t been involved in it and said there’s “room for both” projects.
She said: “I’ve left [those behind Scoop] very much to do their own thing because I think the last thing they want is me peeking around the edges offering my [views]. It says it’s based on a fictional account, so I think it goes into different places and it does different things [to the Amazon series].”
The outlet reports that, through a spokesperson, Emily later clarified that she was describing Scoop as a “dramatisation”. Netflix itself states in a disclaimer at the very start of the film: “This film is based on real events – however certain elements have been fictionalised for dramatic purposes.”
The journalist is said to have not seen Scoop ahead of its premiere but teased that she will watch it “at some stage”. She added that she was “very excited” about it and that former colleague Sam had taken the story to “new heights”.
Emily also opened up about Amazon’s A Very Royal Scandal, with her believed to be an executive producer on the series. She will be portrayed by Ruth Wilson, 42, in the show, whilst Michael Sheen, 55, has been cast as Prince Andrew in it.
Discussing the upcoming series, Emily teased that Ruth has been “extraordinary” in the role. She added that it’s been a “very strange” but “brilliant” process seeing someone play her on set, ahead of its yet-to-be-announced release date.
During the interview, the former BBC presenter went on to dismiss the idea that the Netflix and Amazon projects are in competition. She said: “I think that probably is overplayed, overstated.” Emily said the latter will be a “very different beast,” adding that there’s “room for both”. She then described the “excitement” around the story as “unreal”.
Scoop is now available on Netflix. A synopsis for the new film teases: “Inspired by real events, this fictional dramatization gives an insider account of how the women of Newsnight secured Prince Andrew’s infamous interview.”
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