Martha Stewart Slams Her Netflix Documentary & Director R.J. Cutler, He Replies
Martha Stewart is sharing a hot take about her new Netflix documentary Martha.
The 83-year-old mogul offered a glimpse into her life in the project, which was directed by R.J. Cutler and arrived on the streaming platform on October 30.
However, in a new interview, Martha slammed the project and R.J. for how he handled certain elements of her life. She went as far as to say that she “hate[d]” parts of the movie.
R.J. also issued a response to her critique.
Keep reading to find out more…
Speaking to The New York Times, Martha admitted that she “love[d]” the first half of the documentary.
She also said that viewers, especially “young women” had reached out to tell her that “it gave them a strength that they didn’t know they had.”
“And that’s the thing I like most about the documentary. It really shows a strong woman standing up for herself and living through horror as well as some huge success,” she explained. “That’s what I wanted the documentary to be. It shouldn’t be me boasting about inner strength and any of that crap. it should be about showing that you can get through life and still be yourself.”
While there were elements that she liked, she was shocked that R.J. did not take advantage of access to her archives. She also took issues with other parts of the project, including the soundtrack.
“I said to R.J., ‘An essential part of the film is that you play rap music.’ Dr. Dre will probably score it, or Snoop or Fredwreck. I said, ‘I want that music.’ And then he gets some lousy classical score in there, which has nothing to do with me,” she said.
Martha also accused R.J. of using unflattering camera angles and focusing too much on her issues with the law.
“It was not that important. The trial and the actual incarceration was less than two years out of an 83-year life. I considered it a vacation, to tell you the truth,” she said.
She also said that she “hate[d]” the end of the movie.
“Those last scenes with me looking like a lonely old lady walking hunched over in the garden? Boy, I told him to get rid of those. And he refused,” Martha said, adding that she was limping because she’d had surgery to fix a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
R.J. issued a response to her critique.
“I am really proud of this film, and I admire Martha’s courage in entrusting me to make it,” he told the outlet. “I’m not surprised that it’s hard for her to see aspects of it.”
He continued, adding, “It’s a movie, not a Wikipedia page. It’s the story of an incredible interesting human being who is complicated and visionary and brilliant.”
Martha made a huge revelation about her romantic life in the movie.