
Now that it’s Deadline official, which is Hollywood for Real, I can now pay tribute here to Alison Greenspan, an executive who passed away Monday after a long battle with Cancer. She was only 48 years old. I’ve been developing a project with her — a beautiful book that she brought to me — for two years now, getting encouragement and notes as recently as last week — and I had no idea she was even sick. Apparently, that’s very much how she wanted it, and tho she was deeply loved and respected by everyone in the industry, pretty much no one knew she was sick. She produced movies, television, gave and received notes, protected her writers fiercely and sought out new material, all while battling a rare sarcoma, and mothering her little boy. I’m so blown away by that courage and that compartmentalization. Can you even imagine? Early in 2020, I was putting together a big pitch for the book, and I was struggling because I was first trimestering super hard, nauseous and tired. I told Alison I was pregnant because I felt like if she knew, I would feel safer and supported and I was a million percent right. She called me and said you’ll do it. You’ll get it done. You always will. You’ll take care of yourself, you’ll be there for your family, and then you’ll get the work done. I wish I had known that in a way, she was probably also talking to herself. She had this remarkable confidence and calm about being a working Mother that made me feel the Same. We sold the show when Joe was 6 months old, and Alison said, you did it, you are amazing. And I parroted back, YOU’RE amazing. I meant it, But God, I wish I had known just how much that actually Meant. I’m now determined to get the show made for her, and will probably think of of her every time I find myself working after Joe goes to bed. You will always, always get it done.