Kurt Russell had a couple of good reasons for hosting a reception on Saturday for “Wild, Wild Country,” the Netflix documentary about the 1970s and ‘80s Oregon-based Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his community of followers.
Not only did Russell’s nephews, brothers Maclain and Chapman Way, direct the six-and-a-half-hour series, but the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor lived near the Rajneeshees in Portland at the time.
“I happened to be in Portland when a lot of this was going on so when they started talking about it, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah—the Bhagwan! He was around,'” Russell told Variety.
The breakout character of the series is Bhagwan’s assistant Ma Anand Sheela, who spent 24 months in federal prison after being convicted in 1984 of attempted murder when more than 700 people in The Dalles, Oregon suffered food poisoning after Sheela instructed followers to contaminate local salad bars with Salmonella.
Not only did Russell’s nephews, brothers Maclain and Chapman Way, direct the six-and-a-half-hour series, but the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor lived near the Rajneeshees in Portland at the time.
“I happened to be in Portland when a lot of this was going on so when they started talking about it, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah—the Bhagwan! He was around,'” Russell told Variety.
The breakout character of the series is Bhagwan’s assistant Ma Anand Sheela, who spent 24 months in federal prison after being convicted in 1984 of attempted murder when more than 700 people in The Dalles, Oregon suffered food poisoning after Sheela instructed followers to contaminate local salad bars with Salmonella.
- 8/5/2018
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety - Film News
Similar News
68 Ending or Cancelled TV Shows for the 2023-24 Season
- 5/12/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
219 Ended or Cancelled TV Shows for the 2022-23 Season
- 5/12/2024
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
GLAAD Media Award Winners Include ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’, ‘The Last Of Us’ & ‘Heartstopper’ – Update
- 5/12/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Switzerland’s Nemo Wins the Eurovision Song Contest, Breaks Trophy (and Thumb)
- 5/11/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Disney Tax Filings Reveal Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness Had A Gargantuan Budget
- 5/11/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Grendel: New Live-Action Adaptation Casts Dave Bautista As Beowulf And Jeff Bridges As His Monstrous Foe
- 5/11/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
The Office | The US sitcom gets a sequel series order at Peacock
- 5/10/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
New ‘The Office’ Series Picked Up at Peacock, First Plot Details Reveal Midwestern Newspaper Setting
- 5/8/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
‘The Office’: New Greg Daniels & Michael Koman Comedy Series Lands Series Order At Peacock
- 5/8/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
More to explore
Roger Corman, Pioneering Independent Producer and King of B Movies, Dies at 98
- 5/12/2024
- by Richard Natale and Tim Gray
- Variety - TV News
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Climbs to $22 Million Opening Day
- 5/11/2024
- by Jordan Moreau and Michaela Zee
- Variety - Film News
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Makes $6.6 Million in Previews
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - Film News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Maya Rudolph Brings Beyoncé Back to ‘Hot Ones’ for Outrageous SNL Sketch
- 5/12/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety - TV News
‘Law & Order’ Bidding Farewell to Camryn Manheim
- 5/10/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Frank Grillo Joins ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 as Rick Flag Sr.
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - TV News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Marvel’s ‘The Fantastic Four’ Adds ‘The Witch’ Star Ralph Ineson as Galactus
- 5/9/2024
- by Katcy Stephan, Angelique Jackson and Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
Aida Rodriguez: Unpacking My Childhood Traumas Through Comedy Is Cathartic
- 5/6/2024
- by Aida Rodriguez
- Popsugar.com
Roger Corman, B-Movie King and Iconoclast Who Launched Major Directors with Low Budgets, Dies at 98
- 5/12/2024
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
The Scariest (and Most Traumatic) Mom Movies: ‘Talk to Me,’ ‘Coraline,’ ‘Mommie Dearest,’ and More
- 5/11/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Utah Pushes to Keep Sundance in State: ‘Utah Will Best Assure the Sundance Film Festival’s Continued Growth’
- 5/11/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
‘Star Wars’: Sigourney Weaver Joins ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Film
- 5/11/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Hideo Kojima’s Response to Seeing ‘Furiosa’: ‘[George Miller] Is My God, and the Saga He Tells Is My Bible’
- 5/11/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Roger Corman, Pioneering Independent Producer and King of B Movies, Dies at 98
- 5/12/2024
- by Richard Natale and Tim Gray
- Variety - TV News
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Climbs to $22 Million Opening Day
- 5/11/2024
- by Jordan Moreau and Michaela Zee
- Variety - Film News
Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Announces 2024 Winners
- 5/10/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety - Film News
Box Office: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Makes $6.6 Million in Previews
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - Film News
‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Sequel in the Works, With Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez Returning
- 5/10/2024
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety - Film News
‘Law & Order’ Bidding Farewell to Camryn Manheim
- 5/10/2024
- by Lesley Goldberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘The Bachelor,’ ‘American Idol’ Among Seven Unscripted Renewals at ABC
- 5/10/2024
- by Rick Porter
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘The Conners’ Renewed for Seventh and Final Season at ABC, ‘Not Dead Yet’ Canceled
- 5/10/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Frank Grillo Joins ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 as Rick Flag Sr.
- 5/10/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety - TV News
‘Shogun’ Nears Season 2 Renewal at FX as Star Hiroyuki Sanada Signs Deal to Return
- 5/10/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety - TV News