In a tribute to the legacy of Jane Goodall, Netflix will release the first episode of its Famous Last Words docuseries, featuring her final interview before her passing earlier this week at the age of 91.
The series features interviews with some of the world’s most influential major cultural figures who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.
The special installment of Famous Last Words features the pioneering primatologist, chimpanzee researcher and animal-welfare and environmental advocate in one of her final intervews, filmed earlier this year.
The episode offers viewers a rare opportunity to experience Goodall’s deeply personal reflections on her life’s work as someone who connected humanity to Mother Nature like never before. Goodall also shared never before heard stories about her life, and, knowing the episode would air only after she was gone, she spoke movingly about her own death.
At the end of the interview, Goodall was given the opportunity to look into the camera and speak unedited, with one last message to humanity.
“Jane Goodall was fearless in all things, said Brad Falchuk, Executive Producer. “She deeply loved humanity and the natural world. It was clear to me in our conversation that she was approaching her final adventure with the same fearlessness, hope, humor and joy that she approached everything else in life. She was one of the world’s greatest and most beloved champions of good.”
Famous Last Words, based on the Danish format Det Sidste Ord, captures longform, deeply personal conversations with major luminaries. The interviews are recorded in private sessions with only the interviewer and interviewee present, and the footage is kept confidential until after the participant’s passing.
Goodall, DBE, founder of the Washington-based Jane Goodell Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, began her lifelong work at the age of 26 when she traveled to Tanzania to begin what became groundbreaking studies into the lives of wild chimpanzee communities. The discoveries that chimpanzees make and use tools forever changed our understanding of our relationship to the rest of the animal kingdom. The research continues today as the longest running wild chimpanzee study in the world.
In 1991 Jane founded Roots & Shoots, an environmental and humanitarian program with 12 high school students in Dar es Salaam. The organization empowers young people to become involved in hands-on projects of their choosing and is active in 75 countries. Author of many books for adults and children, her latest publication, The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, has been translated into more than 20 languages.
Emmy winner Falchuk produces through his Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision banner; and BSNA, a part of Banijay Entertainment. He and Mikkel Bondesen executive produce with David Goldberg and showrunner David Friedman.
Famous Last Words with Jane Goodall is available now globally on Netflix.
