This is Freida Pinto’s second foray into American politics after wowing viewers in the historical drama Mr Malcom’s List. An adaptation of Huma Abedin’s New York Times bestseller memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds will star Pinto, according to Deadline. Huma Abedin was Hillary Clinton’s longtime chief of staff and counsellor whose personal life was rocked by her then-husband Anthony Weiner’s shenanigans. In addition to starring, Pinto is working with Entertainment One on the show’s development through her production firm, Freebird Films, which has a relationship with the studio. Both/And, a book on Abedin’s career in politics, was published in November 2021 and focused on her many roles. Originally from Michigan, Abedin is a civil servant of Indian-Pakistani ancestry who was reared in Saudi Arabia.
After working for the First Lady as an intern, she followed her to the Senate, where she served as Clinton’s Senior Advisor. She was a key member of the Clinton campaign and later served as Clinton’s Deputy Chief of Staff at the State Department and as Vice Chair of Hillary for America during her 2016 presidential campaign. After Weiner’s sexting scandal came to light, Abedin’s personal life became the subject of public scrutiny. As Clinton’s Chief of Staff, she is still employed by the former president. “Telling my journey in Both/And has been a powerful and liberating experience,” Abedin said about the memoir in a statement. “The power of family, of friendship, of commitment” and “the sensations of love, grief, betrayal, trauma, re-birth” are all explored in the book, according to Deadline.
Since she recently started dating Bradley Cooper, it’s a great moment for a film version of her memoir to begin production. To Pinto and Freebird partner Emily Verellen Strom, Abedin has also joined the series as an executive producer. “It was clear to me from our very first conversation that Freida and Emily not only believe in but get the story, that they have a vision and a passion about bringing a life filled with unexpected adventures to the world in a way that is true to who I hope to remain always – defiantly optimistic,” she said of the talented producers of Freebird. In Slumdog Millionaire, Pinto was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance, which launched her into the limelight. To date, she has had a successful career, which includes roles in Rise of the Planet Of The Apes, Knight Of Cup and more. Mira, Royal Detective, Needle in a Timestack, and Hillbilly Elegy are just a few of her recent Disney Junior credits. After reading Both/And, Pinto said, “I was immediately hooked to the book.”
“Until her own narrative made the headlines, we assumed we knew Huma’s story: the lady behind the scenes who reluctantly stepped in front of the camera. Afterwards, we read her memoir and were awed by her honesty and kindness as well as her warmth and brilliance and how her upbringing, faith, and family were so truly integrated into her life. We can all relate to Huma’s tale since it is both amazing and topical and relevant for so many of us. Our team at Freebird Films is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with eOne and Huma to bring her narrative to the small screen! We at Freebird Films are inspired by stories like this – about ordinary people with extraordinary powers – and I can’t wait to portray Huma in this next series.”