Elle Fanning and Sarah Paulson have signed on to star in I Am Sybil, a new film co-written and directed by Mirrah Foulkes (Judy & Punch).
It will explore the true story behind the cultural-sensation case of Sybil, one of the first mainstream cases of dissociative identity disorder – or multiple personality disorder, as it was then known.
The case spurred questions in the public consciousness around identity and mental health. Sybil was a pseudonym given to Shirley Mason in Flora Rheta Schreiber‘s 1973 book, which examined the young woman’s treatment for MPD by psychologist Connie Wilbur.
The source material the new film will draw on is Debbie Nathan‘s 2011 book Sybil Exposed: The Extraordinary Story Behind the Famous Multiple Personality Case, one of a number of texts that dispute the facts of Schreiber’s account.
So this should be an interesting look at various angles of the case. Foulkes will direct from a script se co-wrote alongside Jen Silverman. While it’s not confirmed yet, word is that Fanning will be playing Mason, with Paulson portraying Wilbur.
Sybil’s story has been told twice before in TV movie form. Both were simply titled Sybil; the first, starring Sally Field and Joanne Woodward, aired on NBC in 1976 and won four Emmys, while the second starring Tammy Blanchard, Jessica Lange, and JoBeth Williams premiered on CBS in 2007.
Fanning currently stars in Hulu’s historical satire The Great, which returned for its third season last month.
She recently signed deals to star alongside Kristen Stewart in Rosebushpruning, and the love interest of Timothée Chalamet‘s Bob Dylan in Searchlight’s A Complete Unknown.
Paulson is currently filming horror thriller Dust, which will be her first feature film since 2020’s Run.
#Peace.Love.IAmSybil
