This is “The Loudest Voice”…
In this TODAY Show interview that occurred on June 24, 2019, Russell Crowe, Sienna Miller, Seth MacFarlane and Naomi Watts join Savannah Guthrie and TODAY to talk about The Loudest Voice, the Showtime series that sheds light on the late Roger Ailes, the founder of Fox News and political consultant who faced allegations of sexual harassment.
![Ten days later, New York magazine reported that an internal review into Carlson's claims had expanded into a broader review of Ailes's stewardship. It also claimed Rupert Murdoch and his sons, Lachlan and James, had seen enough information in the preliminary review to conclude that Ailes had to go. They disagreed on the timing, however; James wanted Ailes out immediately, while Rupert and Lachlan wanted to wait until after the Republican National Convention. On July 19, New York reported that Megyn Kelly told investigators Ailes made "unwanted sexual advances toward her" at the start of her career. The magazine also reported that the Murdochs had given Ailes an ultimatum—resign by August 1 or be fired. On July 21, 2016, Ailes resigned from Fox News, receiving $65 million (~$72.8 million in 2021)[1] from 21st Century Fox (the then-parent company of 20th Century Fox and Fox News) in an exit agreement. Rupert Murdoch succeeded him as chairman, and as interim CEO until the naming of a permanent replacement. In a letter to Murdoch, Ailes wrote: "I will not allow my presence to become a distraction from the work that must be done every day to ensure that Fox News and Fox Business continue to lead our industry." Ailes was thanked for his work, without mention of the allegations. He continued to advise Murdoch and 21st Century Fox through 2017 until his death. Photo Credit: Google Images](https://i2.wp.com/moviestohistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Ailes-Leaves-Fox-News-1024x556.jpeg?ssl=1)
Introduction and Context…
The interview on the TODAY Show started with an introduction of Crowe, MacFarlane, Miller, and Watts by Savannah Guthrie, who is the host, and then TODAY presented the Official Trailer for the Showtime series, The Loudest Voice while Guthrie can be heard describing the basis of the series and the real life roles the cast play in the 2019 miniseries. The introduction set the stage for the discussion, highlighting the relevance and significance of the series, which sheds light on the late Roger Ailes, the controversial founder of Fox News.
Discussion with Russell Crowe and Sienna Miller…
Russell Crowe, who portrayed Roger Ailes in the series, discusses the complete transformation he made to play Ailes, which included gaining weight and wearing prosthetics. Savannah Guthrie asks Crowe and Miller, who played Ailes’ wife, Beth Ailes, about their preparation for the role and talks about how unrecognizable the actors look in the series. Crowe and Miller might discussed thier transformation into the character, emphasizing the importance of bringing Ailes’ persona to life on screen and what it was like to look into the mirror while filming and not see themselves, but see Roger and Beth Ailes.
Guthrie then asked Crowe about the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by an actor when portraying a character like Ailes, who faced serious allegations of sexual harassment. Crowe discussed the responsibility of accurately depicting Ailes while also addressing the controversy surrounding him but portraying the Ailes that fundamentally changed how America watch the news.
Naomi Watts’ Perspective…
Discussing the controversies playing Ailes with Crowe, Guthrie then asked Naomi Watts, who portrayed Gretchen Carlson, a prominent Fox News anchor, who sued Roger Ailes for sexual harassment with a lawsuit that ultimately led to his career end at Fox News, about her role in The Loudest Voice. Savannah Guthrie asked Watts about her approach to playing a character who played a pivotal role in the network and Ailes fall from grace. Watts discussed the challenges of embodying a Carlson and how the series portrays her sexual harassment and conflicts with Ailes leading up to the lawsuit. Watts shared her insights into the significance of such themes in the context of the Ailes story.
Insights from Seth MacFarlane…
Seth MacFarlane, who played Ailes right hand man, Brian Lewis, in the series, was asked about his experience in portraying a character so different from his usual comedy roles most notably as the creator and a voice actor of the animated sitcom, Family Guy. MacFarlane added his perspective on the media landscape as result and how he researched the real life character to play someone so close to Ailes’ influence.
The interview on the TODAY Show concluded with mention of the miniseries premiere of The Loudest Voice on Showtime and Guthrie thanked Crowe, MacFarlane, Miller, and Watts for joining her in the interview.
You can watch the full TODAY Show interview with the cast of The Loudest Voice below:
The Loudest Voice is available now to buy on all streaming platforms…
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