HBO's Reality shows Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria, The White Lotus) as Reality Winner being interrogated by FBI agents in her home. So, is Sydney Sweeney's Reality movie based on a true story?
The answer is yes, HBO's Reality is based on true events. It shows the true story of National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Reality Winner and the events leading to her arrest.
What is HBO's ‘Reality’ About?
The movie follows the story of Reality Winner, a former enlisted US Air Force member and NSA translator who leaked an intelligence report to the news website, The Intercept. The report detailed a Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election.
In 2017, Reality Winner was interrogated for over an hour in an unused room in her home in Augusta, Georgia by FBI agents R. Wallace Taylor and Justin C. Garrick.
She was then sentenced to five years and three months in prison, the longest prison sentence ever imposed for an unauthorized release of government information to the media.
Sydney Sweeney's Reality movie, which is based on a true story, adapts the real transcript of when the FBI agents showed up at Reality Winner's home to arrest her for leaking classified documents.
Director Tina Satter first turned the interrogation transcript into a play titled “Is This A Room”, which premiered on Broadway in 2021.
In June 2022, it was announced that the play would be adapted into a film, and would serve as Satter’s directorial debut.
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The Cast of HBO's ‘Reality’
The film stars Sydney Sweeney as Reality Winner, Marchánt Davis as R. Wallace Taylor, and Josh Hamilton as Justin C. Garrick.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney shared that she watched interviews and spoke with the real Reality Winner over Zoom and text to prepare for the role.
The actress then used their conversations to understand Winner’s speaking mannerisms. Furthermore, Sweeney tried to physically become like Winner as much as possible.
Since Winner was a yoga instructor, Sweeney also did yoga. She also referred to workouts posted on Winner’s Instagram page.
Where to Watch and Stream HBO's ‘Reality’?
Reality is available to stream on the newly branded Max streaming service. Watch the trailer for Reality below:
The official synopsis of Reality, as provided by HBO:
On June 3, 2017, 25-year-old former American intelligence specialist Reality Winner is confronted by FBI agents arriving at her home to question her suspected role in the mishandling of classified information. Based on true events, the film’s dialogue is directly from the transcript of their tense and transfixing conversation.
Reality is available to stream on Max (formerly HBO Max).
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