From the potential recruitment of Paris Hilton to one of Princess Diana's bridesmaids sharing her side of the story, the corrupt world of Jeffrey Epstein continues to unravel.
Airing on August 9, the Surviving Jeffrey Epstein docuseries explored the alleged history of sexual abuse against minors at the hands of Jeffrey Epstein. Notably, the series premiered after Epstein's co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested.
Since her arrest, producers have began hinting that the docuseries could return for a second season, despite being originally billed as a limited series. With Maxwell's case ongoing, the creators could reasonably film a second part covering Maxwell's arrest and her impending trial.
As producers Robert Friedman, Anne Sundberg, and Ricki Stern explained to ABC News, Surviving Jeffrey Epstein underwent several changes during filming to keep up with the news in real time. The first time the filmmakers regrouped was back in August 2019, when Epstein took his own life in his prison cell, after being arrested on sex trafficking charges.
His death “opened up the opportunity to say to their interview subjects: ‘You don’t have to hold anything back. The guy is dead,'" Stern said. "I think had he not been found dead, there may have been more legal manoeuvring and careful consideration around."
Sundberg also noted that "there was a feeling of real helplessness in the wake of Epstein’s death" and "a sense there will never be any clarity or justice." Which is why Maxwell's recent arrest became so important, as it gave the victims the opportunity to potentially face their alleged abuser in court.
From her arrest, the filmmakers reworked the fourth episode of the docuseries to focus on Maxwell's alleged crimes, rather than host a round table conversation with survivors. Since Maxwell's arrest, approximately a month before the series premiered, the team had to race to incorporate all the new information, but Friedman said they were determined to "tell a story basically in real time."
According to the indictment, Maxwell is being charged with enticing a minor to travel to engage in criminal sexual activity, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, conspiracy to commit both of those offences, and perjury in connection with a sworn deposition. Currently, Maxwell has not been charged with sexual exploitation or abuse.
With Maxwell introducing Epstein to rich and powerful figures like Prince Andrew and Donald Trump, there's been speculation about who else could be implicated in the following months.
