Emmy Award-winning writer/director W. Kamau Bell explores the life and career of disgraced actor Bill Cosby in a new four-part docuseries We Need To Talk About Cosby. The series was established to examine “Bill Cosby’s descent from ‘America’s Dad’ to alleged sexual predator,” according to its official description. “The series explores the complex story of Cosby’s life and work, weighing his actions against his indisputable global influence through interviews with comedians, cultural commentators, journalists, and women who share their most personal, harrowing encounters with Cosby.”
A trailer issued by Showtime on Jan. 19 highlights striking statements made by Bell, as well as Cosby’s survivors and other commentaries from notable public figures. Cosby has been accused of rape, drug-facilitated sexual assault, sexual battery, and other misconduct by more than 60 women as far back as nearly 60 years, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
“Do not edit this: A lot of people knew,” said actress and Cosby accuser Eden Tirl opening the trailer. “Because you can’t do what he did unless you have other people supporting what you’re doing.”
“Bill Cosby had been one of my heroes. I’m a Black man, a stand-up comic, born in the ’70s. This was complicated. How do we talk about Bill Cosby?” expressed Bell.
In 2018, Cosby was convicted of three counts of drugging and raping Andrea Constand in 2004 and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison. He was also required to register as a sexual predator for life. During the summer of 2021, the 84-year-old’s conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court due to a result of an agreement Cosby had with a prior prosecutor. He was released from prison after serving two years.
“Having identified a due process violation here, we must ascertain the remedy to which Cosby is entitled,” the filed dissenting opinion states.
We Need to Talk About Cosby is set to premiere on Showtime on Sunday, Jan. 30 at 10 p.m. ET. It was first screened at Sundance on Jan. 22. Watch the trailer below.