People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia

Wondery•www.wondery.com

Twenty-five years ago, HIV/AIDS was a death sentence. And people living with HIV were shunned. It was as if the world didn’t care. Then, against all odds, filmmaker Jonathan Demme and stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington created the first mainstream Hollywood film about HIV/AIDS and homophobia, the first to give the disease a face and reveal the humanity of those who live with it. PEOPLE LIKE US: INSIDE PHILADELPHIA tells the story behind the story - how this remarkable movie got made and how it changed everyone who has ever seen it.

In the 25 years since Philadelphia was released, we've made great progress in the fight against AIDS, but there is still work to do. Join Coca-Cola and (RED) to help end AIDS once and for all. Visit red.org/cocacola to learn more and donate today.

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Episodes

2 | Too Crowded with Angels

Nearly sixty people living with AIDS were cast in PHILADELPHIA. Today, they’re all gone - all but one. We hear her story and discover what her life is like today. A key actor in PHILADELPHIA has AIDS and may not make it through the film. Will Jonathan Demme have to replace him? Tom Hanks drops 30 pounds to play the role of the dying attorney - and Denzel Washington tempts him with candy bars. The cast and crew of PHILADELPHIA bring Christmas to a an entire family - parents and children - with AI...

Nov 15, 2018•27 min•Ep. 2

1 | Make It Matter

It was the cover of LIFE magazine: “Now no one is safe from AIDS.” Superstar Rock Hudson is already dead and everyone in Hollywood has lost someone to the dreaded disease. Filmmaker Jonathan Demme and screenwriter Ron Nyswaner want to make a difference the only way they know how: By making a movie. But a movie about a gay corporate lawyer who develops AIDS and is fired because of it? Who will pay to see this? What studio would dare make it? And will any star want to be in it? The pieces come tog...

Nov 15, 2018•34 min•Ep. 1

Introducing People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia

In 1993, Tom Hanks won his first Oscar for his role as Andrew Beckett in the film Philadelphia. This award represented more than just a stellar acting performance. Tom Hanks and the creators, cast, and crew of Philadelphia succeeded in bringing AIDS awareness to the mainstream. They sparked conversation about the disease, and helped to shift the cultural perception of HIV/AIDS from fear to compassion. In People Like Us: Inside Philadelphia , we’ll get a special look inside the making of this gro...

Nov 13, 2018•1 min

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