Rachel Maddow and Adam McKay to make documentary on Trump-supporting criminal Lev Parnas

Two award-winning media figures are teaming up to work on a new project. Out journalist Rachel Maddow and filmmaker Adam McKay have announced a collaborative effort on a new documentary, From Russia With Lev, focusing on Lev Parnas, a central figure in political controversies involving former President Donald Trump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani.

The partnership, unveiled on Wednesday, merges the strengths of Maddow’s Surprise Inside production company with McKay’s Hyperobject Industries, Variety reports.

The documentary promises an in-depth look at Parnas, featuring exclusive interviews and access to his extensive personal archive, including documents and recordings. Parnas’ story is notably marked by his involvement in efforts to discredit then-candidate Joe Biden, contributing to Trump’s first impeachment.

Convicted for fraud and campaign finance crimes, Parnas was sentenced to 20 months in prison in June 2022, NPR reported. His role extended beyond his association with Giuliani; he was instrumental in connecting Giuliani with Ukrainian figures in a campaign to gather damaging information on President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.

Parnas’ criminal activities included using a wealthy Russian’s funds for illegal donations to politicians, which was intended to support the launch of a legal recreational marijuana business, and making illegal donations to kick-start a new energy company. He pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud from 2012 to 2019, involving a Florida-based business named Fraud Guarantee. Despite his legal troubles, Parnas’ involvement in the political arena, particularly his connection to Giuliani and the Trump impeachment saga, made him a pivotal figure in recent American political history.

Maddow, alongside McKay, will executive produce the political documentary, directed by Billy Corben and produced by Alfred Spellman. According to Variety, the project benefits from over 30 hours of interviews with Parnas and unique access to his collection of materials. Maddow’s interview with Parnas on the eve of Trump’s impeachment trial in January 2020 significantly boosted viewership for MSNBC’s celebrated primetime program, The Rachel Maddow Show.

Maddow’s latest book, Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism, which she discussed in an October interview with The Advocate, topped the New York Times Best Sellers list. The book delves into the historical and modern implications of fascist movements in the U.S., drawing parallels with contemporary extremist ideologies and their impact on marginalized communities, including people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Prequel explores the echoes between past and present extremist movements in America, drawing on research Maddow conducted for her blockbuster podcast, Ultra.