Anna Nicole Smith certainly made a name for herself as a cultural icon full of sex appeal, but who was she really behind the Playboy centerfold?
First, her birth name was Vickie Lynn Hogan, and she had a life before she made it big and was a multifaceted person throughout her career.
Director Ursula Macfarlane got up close and personal with Anna Nicole’s life behind the scenes as she prepared for the Netflix documentary Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me.
Maybe some think they know Anna Nicole and see that she was just another ’90s pop icon gone too soon, but that’s far from the whole story.
Professionally, she was also an actress, television star, and model. Away from all the lights and cameras, she was a mother and, at times, even a wife.
Macfarlane took things to the next level for this documentary, gaining access to never-before-seen footage and interviews with some of Anna Nicole’s childhood friends.
Who was the real Anna Nicole Smith?
Director Ursula Macfarlane gave a sneak peek at who Anne Nicole really was in an interview with Tudum.
“I want audiences to understand that Anna Nicole was a complex woman. She was someone who above all else wanted to be a good mother and a free-spirited exuberant woman who wanted to live life on her own terms. But her story is also a cautionary tale about how the desire for the American dream can swallow you up and spit you out, blurring your self-image and make you lose sight of your authentic self,” Macfarlane explained.
Macfarlane added that many stories and narratives about Anna Nicole don’t include the star’s story or her own words but rather twist things and don’t tell the whole story.
One exciting part of the Netflix documentary has been learning more about Anna Nicole as a person and before she was Anna Nicole — when she was just Vickie.
One interview features Anna Nicole’s longtime friend, Melissa Byrum, and gives a unique insight into Anna Nicole’s impact on everyone in her life.
Watch the official trailer for Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me
“Hi. It’s me, Anna Nicole.”
Those are the first words to come from the documentary’s official trailer, along with footage of Anna Nicole as she drives a convertible.
A montage of photos appears as Anna Nicole tells people to “follow their dreams” just before the trailer turns to the tragic circumstances of her death.
Going backward in time, the trailer focuses on her life before and during fame.
The documentary appears to cover her highest moments and her lowest lows, along with a behind-the-scenes insight into the real Anna Nicole.
Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me premiers on Netflix on May 16, 2023.