ABC News Studios, in partnership with Trilogy Films, is releasing The Lady Bird Diaries, from award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter on Monday, November 13 on Hulu. The ground-breaking documentary looks at one of the most influential and least-understood first ladies. It features audio from the 123 hours of personal and revealing diaries Lady Bird Johnson began recording after John F. Kennedy’s assassination and continued throughout her husband’s administration.
Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Taylor was born in Karnack, Texas, near Caddo Lake in Northeast Texas. She learned to appreciate nature exploring the ancient trees, exotic plants, and dark bayous in nearby woods. She graduated from Marshall High School and got a bachelor’s degree in journalism before meeting her future husband and 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Johnson.
The film is based on Julia E. Sweig’s acclaimed New York Times bestselling biography, Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, and the eight-part ABC Audio and Best Case Studios podcast, In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson.
The documentary shines a new light on the former first lady, a meticulous observer, recasting her role in LBJ’s presidency. Porter highlights her contri-butions as a savvy cultural and political strategist advising her husband during his toughest decisions in the White House and one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.
“I learned so much making this film,” Porter said. “Lady Bird Johnson’s journey is familiar to so many women who work behind the scenes, accomplish the impossible, and take no credit. It was a joy to finally center the camera on her and shine a light on one of the most influential, if not well-known, first ladies of America.”
The Lady Bird Diaries has enjoyed a celebrated festival run following its March 2023 SXSW world premiere, receiving the Louis Black “Lone Star” Award, honoring films that highlight Texas, and the Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Hill County Film Festival.