Sarah Paulson has made a name for herself by playing, shall we say, complicated ladies. Paulson has a penchant for giving a human dimension to some of pop culture’s most despised women, whether it be in her performance as Marcia Clark in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (poor perm and all) or her portrayal as Linda Tripp in Impeachment. As far as we can tell, Paulson’s upcoming appearance as Gwen Shamblin in the dramatised version of the HBO Max documentary series The Way Down God, Greed, and the Cult of Gwen Shamblin will be no exception to this pattern.
As of April, the streaming service has already declared that it will be turning its docuseries into a scripted shows. Playing Gwen Shamblin will be a huge challenge. Perhaps the most enduring legacy of Shamblin, who perished in an aircraft crash in 2021, is the Weigh Down Workshop, a Christian diet regimen that promotes extreme calorie restriction. In addition to being an outspoken supporter of former president Donald Trump, Shamblin also formed the Remnant Fellowship Church. Her abrupt passing refocused attention on her life’s work as a fitness expert and religious figurehead. During her lifetime, reports of Shamblin’s maltreatment persisted even after her death.
A lot of people have said that her church has certain ‘cult-like’ activities. The show’s creator, Michelle Dean, will also act as the showrunner. She has executive produced for Hulu shows before, including the hit drama The Act. Paulson will undoubtedly offer the necessary degree of intensity and depth to what can only be regarded as a hard part in the new scripted series that will serve as a portrayal of Shamblin. Paulson is not only starring in the show but also acting as an executive producer.
As executive producers, Rebecca Evans and Ross Girard work together to make the show what it is. HBO Max debuted The Way Down, a documentary series on which the new show is based, in September. There are three parts to this series, and it quickly became the most popular documentary series on the platform after its first release. Both Shamblin’s life and the mysterious circumstances surrounding her untimely death are explored throughout the series.
Those who made it out of Remnant Fellowship Church are interviewed in this docuseries. Paulson’s performance as Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story earned her an Emmy Award. The premiere date of the new show has not been determined.