JT LeRoy (film)

JT LeRoy is a 2018 biographical drama film directed by Justin Kelly based on the memoir "Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy" by Savannah Knoop. It stars Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Diane Kruger, James Jagger, Dave Brown, Jim Sturgess and Courtney Love.
It had its world premiere as the closing night film of the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. It was released April 26, 2019, by Universal Pictures.
Premise.
Savannah Knoop spends six years masquerading as writer Laura Albert's literary persona JT LeRoy, the author credited for the novels "Sarah" and "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things".
Production.
On February 9, 2016, it was reported that Kristen Stewart, James Franco, and Helena Bonham Carter were circling the film "JT LeRoy". Justin Kelly would direct the film based on Savannah Knoop's memoir "Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy". On March 22, 2017, it was reported that Laura Dern was in talks to join the film. Dern would play Laura Albert alongside Stewart as Knoop. On May 16, 2017, Diane Kruger joined the cast. On May 23, 2017, Jim Sturgess joined the cast. Before the film was fully financed, a skeleton crew attended the 2017 Cannes Film Festival to obtain some necessary footage. As of August 1, 2017, the film had begun principal photography in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Kelvin Harrison Jr., Courtney Love, and James Jagger also joined the cast. As of August 18, 2017, "JT LeRoy" had wrapped filming.
Release.
It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 15, 2018. Shortly after, Universal Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film. It was released on April 26, 2019.
Critical response.
The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 55% approval rating with an average score of 6.06/10, based on 83 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "While it may leave some viewers wishing for a more in-depth exploration of its story and themes, "J.T. Leroy" offers a diverting dramatization of incredible real-life events." On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews, the film has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".