Renée Elise Goldsberry is most well-known to the public as Angelica Schuyler from the hit musical *Hamilton*, but her career started long before that.
**“Satisfied,”** a new documentary from Melissa Haizlip and Chris Bolan, takes a close look at Goldsberry’s run on *Hamilton*—but more importantly, it explores what she sacrificed to dedicate herself to that award-winning performance. The film offers an honest portrayal of how a performer at the top of her career attempts to balance being a wife and mother while navigating a career-changing moment many dream of.
Haizlip and Bolan recently sat down with the *Tribune* to discuss their film and the evolving role of documentarians during these challenging times. The filmmakers shared what inspired them to make the documentary, with Bolan highlighting the canceled theatrical release of *Hamilton* as the catalyst.
“Renée moved away from the city and became close friends with a dear friend of mine, Kelli O’Hara—who is also a wonderful Broadway performer, Tony Award-winning actress, and executive producer (EP) on our project,” Bolan explained. “Renée told Kelli that she had a lot of behind-the-scenes footage from *Hamilton* and wished she had done something with it instead of just posting it all on Instagram. She wished she had made a documentary or met someone who knew how to create one.”
Kelli responded, “‘Well, it just so happens that I have a good friend who lives right over here who is a documentary filmmaker. Do you want to meet him?’ And [Renée] said, ‘Sure!’”
As a theater fan herself, Haizlip said she was excited to join the team for this Renée Goldsberry documentary. “I’m a huge musical theater fan; I’m a musical theater kid,” she shared. “I also grew up doing plays and musicals, and then I had a really long career on Broadway, performing myself in many shows. Now I’m producing shows on Broadway, and I love making documentaries as well. So the idea of bringing all these things together as a Black woman in theater, I was so excited to see her story being told this way.”
One of the major themes examined in *Satisfied* is how Goldsberry balances her career and family—a dilemma that many women in America face. As Goldsberry states in the film, “I’m the only cast member that’s also a mom.”
“The themes of our film—motherhood, balancing career and family—are just so universal,” Haizlip emphasized, “but the specificity of Renée and seeing the film through her eyes, that’s what really made a lot of difference for me.”
Both filmmakers, with impressive résumés, were also asked about the role of documentarians in today’s historical context. In many ways, they represent the last true truth-tellers.
“I try to use it to amplify underrepresented stories, particularly those focusing on Black culture and history,” Haizlip said. “I intentionally approach filmmaking to show the full breadth of Black expression and humanity; especially with this film, we tried to tell a more intimate story about her journey with motherhood and infertility.”
Bolan highlighted his previous film, *A Secret Love*, to explain his perspective on why documentarians are so important. “Creating a documentary requires dedication and teaches us the importance of perseverance. I try to build trust with my subjects by ensuring they are co-creators in the storytelling process,” he shared. “I work with them to ensure their story is told in an authentic and compelling way, and that’s what Melissa and I did with *Satisfied.*”
It is this type of attention to detail and care that makes *Satisfied* such a compelling film. It not only highlights Goldsberry’s incredible talents but also the sacrifices an artist of her caliber makes to bring us a lifetime full of memories.
*Satisfied* hits U.S. theaters for a special three-day theatrical event via Fathom Events through October 2.
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https://www.phillytrib.com/entertainment/movies/ren-e-elise-goldsberry-is-satisfied/article_37a840e2-7fdc-423b-848d-20ae9fdd8e38.html
