Bradley Cooper is teaming up with PBS to produce a documentary about the millions of people who provide unpaid care to family members.
The documentary, Caregiving, is in production and is set to air in 2025 on PBS stations. WETA, the public broadcasting station in Washington, is producing the film with Cooper’s Lea Pictures and Ark Media (Finding Your Roots).
The film will examine both systemic issues within the care system — where more than 50 million Americans provide unpaid care to family members — as well as tell personal stories of people who care for loved ones.
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Cooper’s involvement also stems from personal experience: “When my father was diagnosed with cancer, that was a wake-up call for me, one that really opened my eyes to the world of caregiving,” the Oscar nominee said in a statement. “Everyone will end up caring for a loved one at some point in their life. The level of loneliness can overcome an individual going through this — it’s overwhelming. Raising this conversation on a national level will help, and together, I believe we can make a difference. I’m extremely proud to produce this documentary. Together, we can help raise the banner for caregivers.”
Caregiving is part of WETA’s multiplatform Well Beings initiative, which examines health needs in America.
“The act of giving and receiving care touches the lives of every American. Caregiving underscores the challenging and fulfilling work of individuals who are the bedrock of the nation’s long-term care system,” said Sharon Percy Rockefeller, president and CEO of WETA. “The selfless act of caregiving is a most worthy cause to activate the power of public media to connect and galvanize providers and supporters to join forces and bring attention to the urgent support system needed to protect this often-overlooked population.”
Added director Chris Durrance, “Caregiving is one of the most consequential issues affecting families today and, like most Americans, many of us on the production team at Ark Media have been directly impacted, each in our own way. We are so proud to be working on this project and giving voice to the caregivers whose lives, work and struggles have for too long gone unrecognized.”
Cooper and Weston Middleton of Lea Pictures are executive producing Caregiving, along with WETA’s John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Barak Goodman is series producer, Durrance is senior producer and Ruth Fertig is producer for Ark media. WETA’s Kate Kelly also produces.
A preview of Caregiving is below.
