Is "Swarm" Based On A True Story?
If Donald Glover's Swarm tale seems familiar, it's because real-life fan culture isn't all that dissimilar to the one depicted in the show. Dominique Fishback plays Dre, and Chloe Bailey plays Dre's sibling Marissa in Swarm. Dre is obsessed with R&B vocalist Nijah, and her feelings for the singer take a dark turn. While Dre's sister attempts to distance herself from her, Dre becomes increasingly obsessed, ultimately leading her to murder. The Swarm trailer does not reveal whose corpse Dre is hiding, but it does show her cleaning up blood and covering up her crimes. Is Swarm Based On A True Story?
Nijah's fanbase is called The Swarm, hence Glover's show's title and Dre has a fan Twitter account devoted to the star, much like some real-life fans have for their favorite celebs. Only clips of Nijah performing and Dre viewing her videos on her TV are shown in the trailer. The program appears to be more concerned with the wild behavior of the artist's followers than with the artist herself. In one trailer scene, Hailey (played by Paris Jackson) jokes that if anyone speaks negatively about Nijah, her fans will come after them. The show's dark themes may appear to be fictitious, but they are heavily founded on real-life events. Let's find out if "Swarm" is based on a true story.
"Swarm" episodes begin with a title card that says, "Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is intentional." The performance is partly inspired by an urban legend that spread online following the release of Beyoncé's 2016 album "Lemonade," which alluded to husband Jay-Z's alleged infidelity. "In April 2016, when a certain visual album dropped, there was a rumor that a girl named Marissa Jackson killed herself because she realized that a certain pop star was being cheated on by her husband," Nabers said last week during a Q&A at South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, according to IndieWire. "I was on a text thread with some of my Houstonian friends, and for two days we thought this was a real event."
The story was quickly debunked, but it stuck with Nabers: "When Donald pitched this idea about a Black woman who’s obsessed with a pop star, I said, 'I know what the pilot is' and ran with it." Other online rumors and true crimes also made their way into "Swarm," Nabers told Entertainment Tonight: "After you see the show and you go to the internet, you will see that a lot of it holds up."
Even though the show isn't based on a true story, it warns viewers that their celebrity obsessions can be just as harmful as Dre's infatuation with Nijah. There have been reports of crazed stalkers breaking into celebrities' homes and attempting to murder them, so while Dre isn't a real person, her tale isn't unprecedented. The show's warning mocks real-life Beyoncé fans for taking their devotion to the artist too far, showing them where they might end up if they don't calm down. Another ironic aspect of Swarm that pertains to real life is Jackson's portrayal of Hailey. Michael Jackson's daughter is well-versed in fanaticism. Swarm's caution extends to all of his followers as well.
Along with Fishback, the series includes a hot young cast: Chloe Bailey, who is half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister, future "The Little Mermaid" star Halle Bailey, plays Dre's sibling, Marissa. Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, plays a stripper who meets Dre. In a pair of teaser clips, seven-time Grammy recipient Billie Eilish makes her acting début as a hypnotic cult leader who interrogates Dre.
Glover is a lifelong fan of Eilish, who walked the red carpet at the "Swarm" premiere in Los Angeles. In 2020, she referred to him as one of her "all-time favorite creators" on her Apple Music show. She also invited Glover, better known by his stage name Childish Gambino, to appear at her December concert in Inglewood, California.
Among the show's creative staff is a well-known name: Malia Obama is Barack and Michelle Obama's daughter. After interning for HBO's "Girls" and working as a production assistant on CBS' "Extant," the former president's daughter earned her first full-time writing job on "Swarm." "She's an incredible writer and artist," Nabers told People. "We wanted to allow her to get her feet wet in TV and see if this is something she wants to continue doing."
"Swarm" does not attempt to conceal its Beyoncé influences, with fictional pop star Ni'Jah impersonating Queen B's "Renaissance" and "Everything is Love" eras. Ni'Jah is also from Houston, Texas, where Bey grew up. However, Nabers has been tight-lipped about whether the series was approved by the celebrity.
When asked if Beyoncé had seen the show at SXSW, Nabers replied, "Of course," but declined to elucidate further. "Swarm" has received mostly favorable reviews, and Glover told The Hollywood Reporter that he hopes Beyoncé's fans will join him on the ride.
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Nijah's fanbase is called The Swarm, hence Glover's show's title and Dre has a fan Twitter account devoted to the star, much like some real-life fans have for their favorite celebs. Only clips of Nijah performing and Dre viewing her videos on her TV are shown in the trailer. The program appears to be more concerned with the wild behavior of the artist's followers than with the artist herself. In one trailer scene, Hailey (played by Paris Jackson) jokes that if anyone speaks negatively about Nijah, her fans will come after them. The show's dark themes may appear to be fictitious, but they are heavily founded on real-life events. Let's find out if "Swarm" is based on a true story.
#1. Is "Swarm" Based On A True Story?
Source: Looper
"Swarm" episodes begin with a title card that says, "Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is intentional." The performance is partly inspired by an urban legend that spread online following the release of Beyoncé's 2016 album "Lemonade," which alluded to husband Jay-Z's alleged infidelity. "In April 2016, when a certain visual album dropped, there was a rumor that a girl named Marissa Jackson killed herself because she realized that a certain pop star was being cheated on by her husband," Nabers said last week during a Q&A at South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, according to IndieWire. "I was on a text thread with some of my Houstonian friends, and for two days we thought this was a real event."
The story was quickly debunked, but it stuck with Nabers: "When Donald pitched this idea about a Black woman who’s obsessed with a pop star, I said, 'I know what the pilot is' and ran with it." Other online rumors and true crimes also made their way into "Swarm," Nabers told Entertainment Tonight: "After you see the show and you go to the internet, you will see that a lot of it holds up."
Related: Is Dre From ‘Swarm’ Autistic? Fully Explained
#2. Why Swarm's "Not Fictional" Warning Makes The Show Better.
Source: The Cinemaholic
Even though the show isn't based on a true story, it warns viewers that their celebrity obsessions can be just as harmful as Dre's infatuation with Nijah. There have been reports of crazed stalkers breaking into celebrities' homes and attempting to murder them, so while Dre isn't a real person, her tale isn't unprecedented. The show's warning mocks real-life Beyoncé fans for taking their devotion to the artist too far, showing them where they might end up if they don't calm down. Another ironic aspect of Swarm that pertains to real life is Jackson's portrayal of Hailey. Michael Jackson's daughter is well-versed in fanaticism. Swarm's caution extends to all of his followers as well.
#3. Billie Eilish, Chloe Bailey, And Paris Jackson Appear In The Show.
Source: Twitter
Along with Fishback, the series includes a hot young cast: Chloe Bailey, who is half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle with her sister, future "The Little Mermaid" star Halle Bailey, plays Dre's sibling, Marissa. Paris Jackson, daughter of the late Michael Jackson, plays a stripper who meets Dre. In a pair of teaser clips, seven-time Grammy recipient Billie Eilish makes her acting début as a hypnotic cult leader who interrogates Dre.
Glover is a lifelong fan of Eilish, who walked the red carpet at the "Swarm" premiere in Los Angeles. In 2020, she referred to him as one of her "all-time favorite creators" on her Apple Music show. She also invited Glover, better known by his stage name Childish Gambino, to appear at her December concert in Inglewood, California.
#4. Malia Obama Is A Staff Writer On The Series.
Source: NBC News
Among the show's creative staff is a well-known name: Malia Obama is Barack and Michelle Obama's daughter. After interning for HBO's "Girls" and working as a production assistant on CBS' "Extant," the former president's daughter earned her first full-time writing job on "Swarm." "She's an incredible writer and artist," Nabers told People. "We wanted to allow her to get her feet wet in TV and see if this is something she wants to continue doing."
Speaking to Nerdist, Nabers called Obama "a little bit of a Wikipedia page when it comes to movies," adding that she had some "really wild, incredible pitches." Glover echoed praise for Obama in an interview with Vanity Fair. "She's focused, and she's working hard," Glover said. "I feel like she's just somebody who's going to have really good things coming soon."
Related: Who Plays Adonis’s Daughter In Creed 3? Introduce Amara Creed & Mila Davis-Kent
#5. Does Beyoncé Approve Of "Swarm"?
Source: USA Today
"Swarm" does not attempt to conceal its Beyoncé influences, with fictional pop star Ni'Jah impersonating Queen B's "Renaissance" and "Everything is Love" eras. Ni'Jah is also from Houston, Texas, where Bey grew up. However, Nabers has been tight-lipped about whether the series was approved by the celebrity.
When asked if Beyoncé had seen the show at SXSW, Nabers replied, "Of course," but declined to elucidate further. "Swarm" has received mostly favorable reviews, and Glover told The Hollywood Reporter that he hopes Beyoncé's fans will join him on the ride.
Aubtu.biz is a website that provides you with sports updates and entertainment news to brighten your day. Don’t hesitate to visit our site to know more about TV & Movies.
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