Betty White 100th birthday documentary still coming to theaters — with a new title
A documentary intended to celebrate Betty White’s 100th birthday is still coming soon to theaters, even though the beloved actor died at age 99 on New Year’s Eve.
The producers of “Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration” confirmed Friday that the film will be released as planned Jan. 17, which would have been the Emmy winner‘s centennial birthday. The title of the feature, however, has been changed to “Betty White: A Celebration.”
“Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White,” said production duo Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein in a statement.
“During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer. ... We will go forward with our plans to show the film ... in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life — and experience what made her such a national treasure.”
Television was White’s medium, and her understanding of what it means to live on camera — her ease, her intimacy — was matched by few before or since.
Screening at a number of Los Angeles cinemas, “Betty White: A Celebration” will feature interviews with many of the “Golden Girls” star’s Hollywood friends and colleagues, including Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendie Malick and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
Reynolds, who starred opposite White in the 2009 romantic comedy “The Proposal,” paid tribute Friday to his late costar, who “managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough.”
The documentary will also sample video from White’s final interview while providing “a backstage look at her career, and insights into what was most important to her.”
Luminaries from Viola Davis to Dan Rather took to social media to pay tribute to the comedy legend, who died Friday at 99.
“Betty always said she was the ‘luckiest broad on two feet’ to have had a career as long as she did. And honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long,” Boettcher and Trinklein said in a message posted on the Fathom Events website.
“This celebration of America’s sweetheart is an opportunity to remember Betty White’s amazing life and career. It’s a time to come together and enjoy Betty’s classic moments on The Golden Girls, SNL, Hot in Cleveland, The Proposal, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, among others.”
‘The Mary Tyler Moore Show’ and ‘Golden Girls’ actor died Friday, just weeks before celebrating her 100th birthday.
Moviegoers can purchase tickets to see “Betty White: A Celebration” at FathomEvents.com. Below are some of the theaters showing the film in L.A. County:
- L.A. Live 14 (Los Angeles)
- AMC Century City 15 (L.A.)
- Fine Arts Theatre (Beverly Hills)
- AMC CityWalk 18 (Universal City)
- AMC Burbank 16 (Burbank)
- AMC South Bay Galleria 16 (Redondo Beach)
- Cinemark 18 and XD (Los Angeles)
- AMC Del Amo 18 (Torrance)
- AMC Rolling Hills 20 (Torrance)
- AMC Norwalk 20 (Norwalk)
- Regal Long Beach Stadium 26 (Long Beach)
- AMC Santa Anita 16 (Arcadia)
- Regal Alhambra Renaissance 14 (Alhambra)
- AMC Atlantic Times Square 14 (Monterey Park)
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