Is 'Rebel' based on a true story? Here's how the real life of Erin Brockovich inspired the ABC show
Cleavage, check. Comebacks, check. An infuriating yet inspiring attitude, check. Yes, from the looks of the trailer of ABC's highly anticipated show 'Rebel', it certainly seems that while the titular character of ABC's show 'Rebel' may not be named Erin, she certainly shares a lot of her traits.
For those who felt that they could do with a lot more Erin than just one film, it seems that 'Rebel' is the answer. So, just how much inspiration is taken from the life of Erin Brockovich? According to an official character synopsis, “Inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich today, Annie ‘Rebel’ Bello is a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree. She’s a funny, messy, brilliant and fearless woman, who cares desperately about the causes she fights for and the people she loves. When Rebel applies herself to a fight she believes in, she will win at almost any cost.”
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You'd think that Erin, by now, would be used to seeing her story on screen, but she says, “It’s surreal, but it’s also so fantastic and a release to see we’re not afraid to be imperfect. We’re not afraid to show you passion. We’re not afraid to be wrong,” said Brockovich.
Make no mistake, Rebel certainly seems to be less than perfect. We see in the trailer that Rebel's volume and her dramatic efforts to ensure she's heard and rubs people the wrong way. That's a problem Erin Brockovich is certainly no stranger to. In an ABC panel discussion, Erin shared, “I’ve been told to watch my mouth plenty of times, but it’s passion. Why do you have to respond a certain way when some of the things you’re dealing with are full of passion and angst and fear and lies and deception? Not always is my response calm, cool, and collected. Why would anybody not understand why you get upset over certain issues?”
But while some may have a problem with Erin's approach, Krista Vernoff, who is the showrunner on 'Rebel', says, “If Erin edited herself more effectively, we would have a way less exciting, dramatic, TV show.”
Katey Sagal, who plays Rebel, says Erin is one of the biggest reasons she was drawn to the project, “There’s a lot of messaging and service wrapped in entertainment. I find it was what attracted me to the project, was not only the amazing script and amazing people and Erin, but the messaging and the opportunity to be of service in some way, which is, I think, what we’re all looking to do.”
Post 'Erin Brockovich' the movie, Erin became a household name but she has continued doing what she loves the best fighting for causes and people that she believes in. In an interview with Vulture, when asked if her fame came in the way of her activism, Erin replied, "I don’t think it hindered my work. But it might’ve personally hindered me. Especially when it comes to the science stuff, they’d always say, “You don’t have all the data, you don’t know.” And I’m like, “You’re right. But you’re the scientist, and you don’t have all the data either.” I find that suppressive, it’s a way to make you question yourself. I had to consciously, personally, not let all those comments — that you’re not smart, that you’re not a scientist, that you don’t know medicine — shut my common sense voice off. It was an internal conflict. I had to fight it because I didn’t want to go away."
There's no doubt that even now it is challenging to be Erin Brockovich, but it is those challenges that make her fascinating to watch both on-screen and off. You can catch the trailer of 'Rebel' below. The show premieres on April 8 at 10 pm on ABC.