Journalist says ‘The Front Runner’ film smears his reputation — and he wants it back
“Based on the true story,” blared the trailers for “The Front Runner,” the movie starring Hugh Jackman about the 1987 scandal that derailed the presidential hopes of former senator Gary Hart.
But one person portrayed in the movie — Tom Fiedler, part of the Miami Herald team who broke the story that Hart was having an extramarital affair during his campaign — thinks the film veers far enough from the truth that it could damage his legacy and career.
Fiedler, who is currently the dean of Boston University’s College of Communications, has sent a personal letter to “The Front Runner” director Jason Reitman. He is asking the filmmaker to issue a public statement that says the movie’s portrayal of Fiedler “is no way meant to depict the real-life actions of the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.”
In his three-page letter, Fiedler expresses displeasure at “the grotesquely negative portrayal” of him in the film and “its impact, both real and potential, on my reputation.”
In November, Fiedler wrote a column for the Herald about his experience watching “The Front Runner.” Fiedler expressed concern that “owing to a Hollywood makeover, this version forever may be me to millions of movie-watchers and obituary writers.”
Actor Steve Zissis plays Fiedler in “The Front Runner” as “slovenly, craven, opportunistic [and] inarticulate,” according to a review of the film written by A.O. Scott in The New York Times.
Reitman told Fiedler via e-mail that Scott’s review was “missing the nuance” of Zissis’ performance. But in his letter, Fiedler cites several other examples of critics who reached a similar conclusion.
Fiedler’s career at the Herald spanned 30 years. His coverage of the Hart campaign won top honors from the Society of Professional Journalists in 1988, and he was part of the team that shared a 1991 Spot News Reporting Pulitzer for a series of Herald stories about the members of a murderous cult.
Fiedler served as the Herald’s executive editor from 2001-2007. He has been the dean of Boston University’s College of Communication since 2008 and will retire next year.
In his letter, Fiedler expresses concern about the potential damage “The Front Runner” could wreak on his professional legacy.
“Even today, parents of students making the decision of where to go to college to study journalism might reject Boston University because they now believe that, at a point in my career, I was “opportunistic” and “craven,” he writes.
“The Front Runner” premiered in September at the Telluride Film Festival, where movie studios often unveil their Oscar contenders. Sony Pictures distributed the film in November, starting with a limited release at four theaters on Nov. 6 and widening to 807 theaters on Nov. 21.
But despite a publicity blitz, “The Front Runner” tanked, grossing a total of $1.8 million.
The movie has also failed to earn any year-end honors from critics groups. Ironically, another movie Reitman directed that was released this year, “Tully,” earned Charlize Theron a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy.
You can read the full text of Fiedler’s letter to Reitman here.
Sony Pictures declined to comment for this story.
This story was originally published December 10, 2018, 3:50 PM.
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