In December 1999, Vanity Fair published “The Miranda Obsession,” an investigation from writer Bryan Burrough that was quite a jaw-dropper.
It detailed how a mysterious woman, calling herself Miranda Grosvenor, cold-called famous and powerful men from Hollywood to New York beginning in the early 1980s. She not only managed to keep them on the line — relying on what the men say was sexy charm, a gift for gab and a seemingly endless supply of insider information about places, projects and other famous people — she developed long-term flirtatious friendships and relationships, some of which lasted for years. Several men admitted to falling in love.
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The list of phone pals is long and allegedly includes Robert De Niro, Billy Joel, Warren Beatty, Quincy Jones, Richard Gere, Sting, Bob Dylan, Ted Kennedy, Buck Henry, Art Garfunkel, Paul Schrader, Eric Clapton and many others. The article dives deeper into Grosvenor’s story, her methods, mystery and, ultimately, her identity.
Now the story is about to get a new life courtesy of Audible, Rachel Brosnahan, Vice Studios and Wingate Media.
A new scripted Audible Original, The Miranda Obsession, will recount the true story adapted from Burrough’s piece by writer Jen Silverman (Tales of the City) and directed by Tyne Rafaeli. It will be performed and executive produced by Emmy-winning Brosnahan and her production company, Scrap Paper Pictures, with executive producer credits going to Shannon Gibson, Samantha Schlaifer and Olivia Wingate. The project marks the first for Audible under its partnership with Vice Studios and Wingate Media. It’s currently in production and scheduled to premiere on the platform April 28, 2022.
Brosnahan’s Miranda will be joined by a cast of leading men who will voice some of the bold-faced names caught under her spell, including Josh Groban, John Benjamin Hickey, Harry Lloyd, Morgan Spector and Milo Ventimiglia. Here’s who they play: Buck Henry (Hickey), Billy Joel (Groban), Brian McNally (Lloyd), Richard Perry (Ventimiglia) and Paul Schrader (Spector).
Brosnahan said she was “completely captivated” by the story and how Grosvenor cultivated these intimate relationships with some of Hollywood’s most powerful men. “Not only did she hold her own, but she curated a fantasy on the other end of the telephone and drew men into her design with words alone,” Brosnahan continued. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Audible, Vice Studios and Wingate Media to bring Miranda’s compelling story to listeners all over the world.”
Audible’s head of scripted content Kate Navin praised Brosnahan as “brilliantly gifted,” adding they are honored to have her bring her talents to the company as she brings a unique take to the Grosvenor character. “It’s not every day you come across a project like The Miranda Obsession, a fascinating story that is naturally and perfectly suited for audio.”
Brosnahan stars on the Emmy-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel from Amazon Studios, where she retains a first-look production deal. Audible is an Amazon company. The Miranda Obsession joins a slate of Audible Original projects that includes The Coldest Case from James Patterson, performed by Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter and Nathalie Emmanuel; The Sandman from Neil Gaiman, performed by James McAvoy, Kat Dennings and Michael Sheen; Keegan-Michael Key’s The History of Sketch Comedy; Letters From Camp, produced and performed by Jamie Lee Curtis; Kevin Hart’s best-selling Audible Original, The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success; and The Pursuit of Healthiness With Blake Griffin.
