‘The College Admissions Scandal’s Penelope Ann Miller on Caroline’s Guilt
Preview
Once the story broke that famous actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman (recently sentenced to 14 days in prison and a $30,000 fine) were among a group of wealthy folks spending big bucks in a fraudulent scheme to get their kids into prestigious colleges, a ripped-from-the-headlines Lifetime movie was all but guaranteed.
In The College Admissions Scandal‘s retelling, Penelope Ann Miller (above) and Mia Kirshner play fictional composites — interior designer Caroline and financial services exec Bethany, respectively — who hire Rick Singer (Michael Shanks), the now-indicted real-life consultant, to win admission for their offspring.
“Caroline [loosely based on Huffman] has more guilt about it,” says Miller, “but Bethany is very ambitious and not thinking about the consequences.”
Miller, whose own daughter is taking a gap year, grew up in Brentwood, the L.A. neighborhood where the film is set.
“I never heard of this when I was young, but I’ve recently seen the intense pressure of getting into [top] colleges,” she says. For research, she listened to a podcast based on the Singer wiretaps. “He said he’s worked with over 700 families! I hope this is a watershed moment for the country. We’ve got to stop this.”
The College Admissions Scandal, Movie Premiere, Saturday, October 12, 8/7c, Lifetime
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