A posthumous memoir by the infamous and feared Hollywood columnist Nikki Finke is reportedly being shopped for publication, years after her death and after facing significant delays and legal disputes during her lifetime. The news has generated a mix of reactions within the industry, ranging from apprehension to curiosity.
LA Material, an upstart newsletter, first reported that Finke's estate is seeking a publisher for her Hollywood memoir. Finke, who founded the influential entertainment news site Deadline Hollywood, was known for her aggressive reporting style that often put her at odds with industry titans.
The circumstances surrounding the current effort to publish the book have raised questions. According to LA Material, a woman named Connie Su, described as a "longtime friend" of Finke's, has been tasked by the estate with finding a publisher. However, sources familiar with Finke's life have expressed skepticism about this connection, with one former associate stating that Finke never met Su at a Wellesley College alumnae event as suggested. Su did not respond to requests for comment regarding her role.
The memoir has a complicated history, having been in development for years and becoming a point of contention between Finke and her former boss, Jay Penske, who purchased Deadline Hollywood in 2009. Sources indicate that Penske attempted to halt Finke's various projects, including the memoir, citing ethical and contractual concerns. An email exchange from 2010 shows Finke vehemently defending her right to publish, pushing back against Penske's assertions.
By 2014, the rights to the book were entangled in a legal battle between Finke and Penske, which was eventually settled. Following the settlement, Finke withdrew the book and returned an advance, despite interest from publishers like Simon & Schuster. A source familiar with the situation at the time suggested that Penske now holds all rights to the memoir. A representative for Penske did not provide a comment.
Some who knew Finke worry about the integrity of the book's legacy and its potential revision. "How will her legacy be protected? Who is going to rewrite this book?" one source questioned, expressing a desire to "protect Nikki in this situation."
The memoir, reportedly now titled "Hubris," is said to offer a "juicy history of a bygone, freewheeling town" and includes anecdotes about prominent figures from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Michael Ovitz, Michael Eisner, Ron Meyer, Brandon Tartikoff, and Sue Mengers, as well as actors like Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Some of these figures have died since Finke's passing in 2022.
Finke's reporting style was often controversial. The New York Times once labeled her "The Most Hated Reporter in Hollywood." While credited with revolutionizing industry coverage, some former subjects and colleagues accused her of embellishing details to serve her own interests or those of her sources. One veteran executive questioned the memoir's veracity, asking, "How can there be a memoir from someone who made up so many of the details of her own life?"
Finke's potential memoir is emerging against the backdrop of other forthcoming Hollywood-focused books, including Ari Emanuel's memoir "Roll the Calls," in which Finke is reportedly mentioned. A fictionalized HBO series based on Finke's life, titled "Tilda," also failed to move forward after a pilot was produced.